Did McLaren's Monza tactics endanger their F1 title chase and team dynamics?

Red Bull Racing/Red Bull Content Pool

"The way to win a championship is with the team. You're going to need Oscar and you're going to need the team.".

These were the words of race engineer Will Joseph, urging Lando Norris to yield the lead to teammate Oscar Piastri at the Hungarian Grand Prix—a statement that has aged poorly for McLaren. During Sunday's Italian Grand Prix at Monza, Norris found himself in a precarious scenario: slamming on his brakes to avoid colliding with Piastri, who had executed a brilliant overtake at the Roggia chicane to seize the lead.

In the later stages of the race, with Ferrari's Charles Leclerc close to securing a pivotal victory on home soil, McLaren chose not to instruct Piastri to let Norris pass for an extra three points toward his championship bid against Red Bull's Max Verstappen. Reflecting on Joseph’s words from Budapest, Norris might question when the support from Piastri and McLaren would materialize.

Instead, what Norris experienced was the "Papaya rules," McLaren’s guidelines for inter-team conduct, named after their car’s distinctive orange livery. The specifics of these rules remained ambiguous as the paddock left Monza on Sunday night.

The term "Papaya rules" was first publicly introduced during a media session on Saturday evening. McLaren team boss Andrea Stella articulated this philosophy, reinforced by CEO Zak Brown’s post-race comments on Sky Sports:

"Race them hard, race them clean, don't touch."

"Don't do anything stupid," added a McLaren team member.

Stella suggested post-race that a more defined set of guidelines might be necessary, hinting at possible team orders from the Azerbaijan Grand Prix onward.

Piastri adhered strictly to the "race hard" mandate. Norris, caught off guard, left the door open, and Piastri’s aggressive yet masterful move at Roggia epitomized elite wheel-to-wheel racing. However, this move created significant tension:

"It was an aggressive pass, so that's a conversation we’ll have," admitted Brown. "It was nerve-racking on the pit wall."

Norris felt conflicted post-race, critical of his own decisions yet suggesting he prevented an even worse outcome:

"We both easily could have been out in that corner if I'd braked 1 metre later," Norris reflected.

McLaren’s reluctance to impose team orders early is understandable. While Norris currently outperforms Piastri in consistency, both drivers are future world champions, and Zak Brown is keen on retaining this lineup long-term. Labeling Piastri as the secondary driver could severely impact morale and long-term commitment.

Stella emphasized the importance of context and fairness, even as McLaren contemplates more structured team strategies:

"We didn't consider the swap… It looks a little brutal if you ask a driver who is going to win a race that you have to swap positions," Stella remarked.

Looking ahead to Baku

McLaren's fluctuating fortunes underscore the fleeting nature of Formula 1 success. The Italian Grand Prix proved to be a wake-up call for better intra-team race management. Having experienced legendary team orders scenarios, Stella is well aware of the complexities involved.

"We do want to give it a go at the championship with Lando," Stella affirmed, stressing the importance of balanced, detailed reviews.

As McLaren prepares for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on September 15, the "Papaya rules" and potential team orders will dominate discussions, perhaps shaping the team's strategy for the rest of the season.

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