McLaren has admitted it will review its racing guidelines after Lando Norris accused team-mate Oscar Piastri of forcing him off-track during the Formula 1 Italian Grand Prix. The pair battled for position in the closing stages at Monza, with Norris eventually dipping two wheels onto the grass while attempting to pass Piastri.
Key Highlights
- Norris-Piastri clash: Norris accused Piastri of pushing him off after running onto the grass during a late-race battle for fourth.
- McLaren review: Team principal Andrea Stella confirmed the team will review its terms of engagement for future on-track battles.
- Racing philosophy: McLaren initially chose not to interfere, believing the two drivers should be allowed to race under its "philosophy of going racing".
- Verstappen advantage: Stella admitted McLaren had little chance of defending against Max Verstappen, who passed both cars to finish third.
Norris and Piastri Battle for Fourth at Monza
Piastri started the 53-lap Italian Grand Prix from sixth, while Norris lined up eighth. By the closing stages, the McLaren team-mates were fighting each other for position. Norris first passed Piastri on lap 48 to move into fourth, but Piastri reclaimed the position one lap later.
With only a handful of laps remaining, Norris attempted another move. As he closed the gap on the left-hand side, he ran out of room and put two wheels onto the grass. Norris was heard over team radio suggesting that Piastri had "pushed me off", bringing the incident to the attention of McLaren team principal Andrea Stella.
McLaren to Review Its Racing Guidelines
McLaren had initially decided not to intervene in the battle, with Stella explaining that both drivers were on the same tyres, with the same tyre age and the same car. The team therefore believed there was no immediate reason to interfere and chose to let Norris and Piastri compete under its established "philosophy of going racing".
However, Stella said the team would review the incident after Norris' radio complaint. Upon reviewing the footage, McLaren felt the incident was less serious than it may have appeared during the heat of the race.
Even so, Stella acknowledged that the team needs to consider whether there was a better way to manage the fight, particularly because battling each other can cost both drivers valuable time. He said McLaren would review the situation in the context of this type of racing and consider whether a different approach could have helped the team challenge Max Verstappen more effectively.
Photo by: Steven Tee / LAT Images via Getty Images
McLaren Has History of Reviewing Its Approach
The latest incident comes with McLaren already having a history of launching internal reviews following the Monza round. Last year, the team's infamous papaya rules came under the spotlight when Piastri was instructed to let Norris pass during the race.
Whatever comes from the latest review, Stella admitted McLaren had little opportunity to defend against Verstappen on Sunday. Verstappen eventually passed both McLarens to claim third place, joining George Russell and race winner Kimi Antonelli on the podium.
Verstappen Too Fast for McLaren
Stella conceded that Verstappen was ultimately faster, although the Dutchman had been caught by the effect of the slipstream at Monza. The McLaren team principal explained that when a driver loses the slipstream at the Italian circuit, they can be forced to use energy to defend against another car, creating a difficult strategic situation.
For McLaren, the focus now turns to reviewing how Norris and Piastri should approach their next battle — and whether its "going racing" philosophy needs to evolve.
