Lando Norris has claimed McLaren would have looked like “complete idiots” had it not used team orders to prevent an incident in the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix.
McLaren was dominating proceedings in a rain-hit season-opening race at the Albert Park Circuit when the team told Oscar Piastri to maintain position behind Norris.
The Woking-based squad’s intervention went against the stance that the two would be authorised to race one another amid the mutual desire to land the Drivers’ title.
However, McLaren boss Andrea Stella revealed post-race that concern over navigating lapped cars ahead with more rain on the horizon prompted the team to step in.
Norris, who went on to win the race as a spin consigned Piastri to ninth, disclosed that he was unaware that his team-mate had been instructed to remain behind him.
The Briton was adamant McLaren made the correct call, though, as he highlighted how it would have been embarrassing had an ensuing battle culminated in a crash.
“So I didn’t really know about it because they said it to Oscar, not to me,” Norris told media including Motorsport Week.
“And it was literally just for two or three laps as we went through the backmarkers.
“It was risky conditions, and we’d look like complete idiots if we attempted to race and both ended up off the track – or worse, out of the race – when we had a great result in hand.
“It was just for a couple of laps that they asked us to hold position, and then he was free to race again.
“We were free to race all the way up until that point, and then there was just a holding period for a few laps. After that, it was back to normal.
“I think that’s all I really knew about it. I’m sure we’ll talk about it more – we even had a little chat about it this morning.”
McLaren prioritised the team result
Norris dismissed suggestions that McLaren had sought to prioritise him, citing that Piastri was permitted to race him once the circumstances were more appropriate.
“From the team’s perspective, it wasn’t about me or Oscar, it was about McLaren – we’re first and second, let’s not do anything silly when we don’t need to,” he said.
“There’s still a lot of opportunity left for Oscar to race me, and it would have been stupid to try and force a situation when we’re behind backmarkers, blue flags.
“If you go offline at that part of the race, you’re in the wall. At that stage of the race, I was still trying to think I need get these tyres to last until Lap 54 or whatever.
“I think Oscar was just pushing a bit more and trying to get past me. But yeah, it was all comfortable from my side.”
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