F1 Q&A: Lewis Hamilton, Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri, McLaren, Red Bull and Aston Martin
Will McLaren allow Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri to compete? They always say that drivers can race freely, but, whenever they get on track, the driver is told to hold a position. If McLaren is so dominant, will this take away our only championship battle? – Martin
There is a simple answer to this question – yes. McLaren’s philosophy is that drivers can race freely, and that’s the interests of the team have always been the first.
This means drivers have rules – Norris and Piastri can compete, but they can’t risk each other’s cars.
This is the order explaining the Australian Grand Prix midway so that cars can hold the station until they clear some of the troubled traffic and the team has a better understanding of the incoming wet weather.
Team principal Andrea Stella said: “At some stage of the race we had to pass through some back marks relatively quickly while the car was close and the middle tires down on the rubber side were a little tricky, while receiving some updates in the weather.
“This allowed us to close the internal race car in a short time until we made clear the weather forecast, what this meant for how we should use the tires until we closed the question of over the rear sign. Once it was done, we reopened the race.”
It is clear from Piastri’s reply that he was not very happy about being told to hold the station – at that stage he had been closed within seconds of Norris and was challenging the leader, claiming to be faster.
However, once the driver was allowed to race again, Norris widened the gap, and then Piastri made a mistake in the sixth round, trying to keep up.
This shows that Norris has been managing his pace before to curb the wear and tear of his middleman. Piastri admitted that his tires were too far away to challenge by then.
After the ranking, Norris explains the overall philosophy.
“Obviously there are rules that we can’t cross,” he said. “Both cars have to stay in the race at all times, but we are both competitors. It’s obvious.
“We both want to fight for victory and victory. But there is boundaries around the car – there is only more space here and there. We can play freely, try to win the game freely.
“But what won our builders last year is how we help each other and how we keep everything clean.”
