Lando Norris references ‘Multi-21’ in latest McLaren team-mate battle talk
Oscar Piastri's manager Mark Webber was involved in one of F1's most famous team-mate squabbles.
Lando Norris joked McLaren could have their own ‘Multi-21’ situation as the battle between the team-mates heats up.
McLaren’s drivers have won both grands prix of the year this season, setting up what looks to be a two-horse race for the title, and the idea of how that fight may play out has been put to Norris.
Lando Norris makes ‘Multi-21’ reference in Oscar Piastri battle talk
For now, the team-mates have been keeping it clean but McLaren’s insistence that they be allowed to race may prove dramatic later in the season.
Norris and Oscar Piastri would not be the only team-mates who have fought on track with Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton at the same team in 2007 being noticeable examples, as well Hamilton with Nico Rosberg at Mercedes.
Another case is the infamous ‘Multi-21’ that occurred at Red Bull. After Sebastian Vettel defied team orders to overtake team-mate Mark Webber at the 2013 Malaysian Grand Prix, the Aussie repeated the instruction code name ‘Multi-21’ to the German in the cooldown room, an incident that has gone down in F1 folklore.
Asked about any potential friction that could arise between the McLaren pair, Norris referenced that moment.
“I didn’t watch Formula 1 back then [in the past] – it would have been 2007. Oh yes, Lewis and Fernando! You wait until he has a pit stop behind me and I’m not going to drive out. Or we’ll have like a little multi-21 or something!” Norris joked after the Chinese Grand Prix.
“No, I think we are [ready]. We were free to race today. I didn’t have the pace to really get up to Oscar, and he drove very well. So he deserved it. Same really last weekend.
“There were those two laps that I know everyone loves to talk about where we just held position, but the rest of it, we were free to race. So I’m sure we’re going to have some closer racing at some point.
“I think we’re both excited – probably nervous and excited at the same time – as I’m sure the team will be. But we’re ready.
“We know that as much as we work together and we have a good time and enjoy ourselves, we both know we want to try and beat each other and show who’s best. And that’s inevitable.”
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Despite this, Norris believes each driver pushing the other is ultimately going to help the team.
“There’s no point trying to hide away from that fact or make something of it. We’re two competitors who both want to win. But we help each other out,” the 25-year-old said.
“I think we both achieved something better this weekend because of that fact. And we’ll continue to do that.
“So I’m sure at the minute it’s going to be like that, but like Oscar said, at any point other teams can find something.
“Other teams have talked about upgrades and stuff already and they can catch up quicker than you think, just like we did last year. So as much as we’re doing that, we also have to think as a team and keep pushing the team forward from that side.”
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