2016 world champion Nico Rosberg has had his fair share of intra-team battles at Mercedes. Based on that experience, he told McLaren team principal Andrea Stella what they did wrong at the 2024 Hungarian GP and recommended some changes in their approach to managing drivers.
Oscar Piastri was in the lead for the majority of the race before a strategic goof-up took P1 away from him and gave it to Lando Norris instead. With both being McLaren teammates, Norris‘ race engineer pleaded with him to hand the position back, which the Briton did eventually, but not without resistance and drama.
Rosberg feels that the way McLaren ordered Norris to let Piastri pass was wrong. Talking to Stella after the race, Rosberg said,
“I strongly recommend, that you guys, in managing this intra-team battle between the two drivers, you need to be extremely clear and firm. Today there was the word ‘at your convenience, Lando’. That for a driver, leaves the door very wide open”.
Nico speaking words of wisdom from experience pic.twitter.com/tIjfrRVagB
— Sky⁸¹ (@SkysF1year) July 21, 2024
The former Mercedes driver was referring to Norris’ radio exchanges in the final few laps. The team did ask Norris to slow down for Piastri but they weren’t assertive enough, according to Rosberg.
Stella quietly listened to what Rosberg had to say, before acknowledging his advice. “Nico, you talk from experience. I take your recommendation, we will make good use of it,” the McLaren boss said.
Now, the Woking team have to manage this tricky situation with both their drivers extremely close on pace. With a bid to win the Constructors’ championship this season, they cannot afford Norris and Piastri stepping on each other’s toes in situations similar to Hungary.
Difficulties for McLaren ahead
Norris and Piastri are both top drivers with championship-winning ambitions fueling their drive. Piastri has not been as fast as Norris taking the whole season into account but he was at the Hungaroring.
At one point, it seemed like the Briton wasn’t going to comply with the team orders. But as he admitted after the race, he remembered all the times Piastri helped him to get podiums and maximize the team’s result. So, Norris slowed down on lap 68 to let the Australian driver pass and win his maiden Grand Prix.
THIS PAPAYA TEAM!
A huge shift from everyone on and off the track throughout the weekend. #HungarianGP pic.twitter.com/O7jCkbQO6S
— McLaren (@McLarenF1) July 21, 2024
Rosberg, however, during his recommendation to Stella, also pointed out that if McLaren isn’t clear with instructions moving forward, both Norris and Piastri could find themselves in similar situations in the coming races.
However, this Hungarian GP team orders fiasco also underscored the main problem McLaren needs to iron out as soon as possible — their race strategy execution. If they had pitted Piastri first at the second round of stops, all the drama could have been avoided.
