Lando Norris tells McLaren critics ‘not our problem’ after Monza controversy
Lando Norris told critics of McLaren at Monza that it is "not our problem".
The use of team orders to revert Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri proved a polarising decision from McLaren at the Italian Grand Prix.
However, Norris bluntly told anyone who was upset that it is “not our problem”, insisting McLaren are doing what is right for them, even if that causes some backlash in a world where “negativity” is more prominent than positivity.
Lando Norris to McLaren critics: ‘Not our problem’
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen was in a class of his own at Monza, as the drama unfolded behind the dominant victor. McLaren had pitted Oscar Piastri before Lando Norris, despite Norris being ahead on the road, to cover off Leclerc’s undercut window. When Norris pitted, a slow stop meant he came out behind Piastri.
McLaren quickly told Piastri to let Norris back through into second. Piastri stated his case for a slow stop being considered a part of racing, but obliged, waving Norris back through into second. It was the position in which Norris finished, trimming Piastri’s Drivers’ Championship lead to 31 points.
Asked if anything needed to be clarified on McLaren’s approach after Monza, Norris said: “All exactly as it was. I mean, some things had to be clarified.
“There were some things at that point that I didn’t know about, the undercut from Leclerc, that were things I didn’t know in my post-race interviews at the time, that also played a part in the reasoning of the decision that the team made, and the fact it was not just a pit stop which made that decision, it was more so the other things.
“So, yeah, I mean, clarification, but nothing from the fact that we both agreed with it after and accepted that’s what we agree as a team.”
McLaren has committed to providing a fair, level playing field to both drivers as they conduct a very well-mannered push for the title. Monza was an example of this.
Norris was therefore asked how much sympathy he has for the team trying to keep everything fair.
“Honestly, I think there’s a lot less than you think,” he declared. “This was one of the first things in quite a long time, and like I just said, it wasn’t the fact I had a slow pit-stop which was the reasoning. It was more the fact of the changing of positions, the sequencing of things, which was the same as – I know, a very different time – but the same as Hungary last year.
“That was actually more the reasoning of it, combined with the pit-stop. There’s not been many things apart from that.
“Of course, they try and keep things fair between us, but it’s not been many things where they’ve had to actually get involved and do anything to help one or the other.”
McLaren’s actions at Monza sparked debate. David Coulthard, 12 times a grand prix winner with McLaren, felt his former team “manipulated the result” of the Italian Grand Prix.
Norris did not mince his words in responding to criticism sent McLaren’s way.
Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris head-to-head
👉 F1 2025: Head-to-head qualifying statistics between team-mates
👉 F1 2025: Head-to-head race statistics between team-mates
Asked if the negative reaction surprised him, Norris replied: “Not in the world that we live in nowadays, because that’s all people want to do, you know, is be negative and talk badly about others. So honestly, not a surprise. You also need headlines. You also need people to read things. So not a surprise at all, from my side.
“But, it also doesn’t affect us as a team. It’s what you expect nowadays, and I think in the world that we live in, it’s more negativity than ever positivity.
“We continue to do things our way, whether people agree with it or not. It’s not our problem, and we don’t really care about that, so we’re happy. We focus on ourselves.
“Of course, you always want good things to come out of it. The team are trying to do a good thing. Whether people agree in the end of the day, is not our problem. So we want it to be fair. We want it to be equal for both of us, and then people can comment whatever they like after that.”
McLaren could secure the Constructors’ Championship at this weekend’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
