McLaren boss Andrea Stella is adamant that the team will stick to its “racing principles” despite backlash after team orders at Formula 1‘s Italian Grand Prix.
The Woking-based team has been the runaway leaders this season, en route to potentially wrapping up the Constructors’ Championship at this weekend’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri themselves have the Drivers’ title to contend with, being the only two drivers realistically in the running for the crown this year.
Going into the final eight races of the season, Piastri leads his team-mate by 31 points — a gap that could have been 38 if not for the contentious team order situation at Monza.
At the Italian GP, Norris was leading the Australian before a slow pit stop dropped him behind the 24-year-old.
The McLaren pit wall was quick to rectify the situation by asking Piastri to let him past — a decision that has generated a lot of conversation, including that from Max Verstappen.
Stella, who has been coy so far regarding inter-team implications, spoke in more detail ahead of this weekend’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
“I think noise around a racing situation is natural. Formula 1 is a very popular sport,” he said.
“What’s important for us is that comments are respectful and when they are respectful, we welcome, we listen, we take them into account, even if ultimately what counts for us is not the external noise but what we make of it internally and how we set ourselves to keep going racing.”
The Italian also claims that irrespective of how the race at Monza panned out, the drivers’ title will not be a matter decided on the pit wall and is not influenced by factors outside the race track.
“No the approach to the drivers’ title will not change,” he asserted.
“This is not dependent on the constructors’, the way we go racing is dependent on the racing principles, on the value that we embody at McLaren Racing.
“Also it’s a reflection of the fact that we want to protect the unity of the team, which is a foundational condition for the future.”
Stella details the underlying principle dictating F1 team orders at McLaren
The former Ferrari man revealed that the team had a sit-down after the race weekend and reviewed the incidents.
That said, it does not mean that the inherent ‘papaya rules’ have undergone any significant changes.
When prodded further, Stella was candid enough in admitting that the team’s decisions are always premeditated, underscored by the vision of having a unified outfit that respects its rules of combat.
“Racing situations are definitely susceptible to different interpretations,” continued Stella.
“So we are comfortable with the noise, with the comments, we welcome the comments.
“What’s important is that they always remain respectful. Respect is a very important value for McLaren Racing and I’m sure for everyone. So no surprise around the noise.”
Stella then went on to highlight how the only reason to allow Norris to pass Piastri was the slow pit stop, and that the team has always and will continue to give priority in terms of strategy to the leading car.
“In that situation, because we sequenced the two cars in a certain way at the pit stop, going with the car behind, then we required a swap because this compounded with the slow stop, led to the swap,” he explained.
“But this situation we had in terms of the sequence of pit stop is the same as Hungary, and we acted consistently with the situation we had in Hungary.”
READ MORE — Why McLaren is facing an uphill struggle in F1 Azerbaijan GP
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