Lando Norris revisits one McLaren decision that changed everything

Lando Norris believes McLaren might not be the same as it is now, nor may it have succeeded in the same way, had he not relented and adhered to team orders at the 2024 Hungarian Grand Prix.

Norris initially fought calls to swap positions with Oscar Piastri after emerging ahead from his final pit stop, but eventually moved over with three laps to go – a decision he feels has proven worthwhile, given the delicate nature of success in Formula 1.

Lando Norris revisits crucial moment in McLaren relationship

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Piastri passed Norris at the start to lead that race in Budapest, with the Australian having led the majority of proceedings before the Briton was called in first by McLaren to defend second place.

With fresher tyres, he pushed to undercut his teammate and, by the time Piastri re-emerged on track on Lap 48, Norris held the lead instead.

Norris initially pushed back on the team order to move aside, believing that Piastri should have stopped before him, with the lead car on the road often given strategic preference.

The Briton was told by race engineer, Will Joseph, among several radio pleas to drop back behind his teammate: “The way to win a championship is not by yourself; it’s with the team. You’re going to need Oscar, and you’re going to need the team.”

He eventually slowed down on the pit straight, accepting second place on the day.

Discussing how delicate the atmosphere in a team could become if teammate acrimony ever develops while on the Beyond the Grid podcast, Norris highlighted that, while he and Piastri work well together, there would have been potential ramifications had he stayed ahead, namely how easy it is for team harmony to be disrupted – which in turn would have a negative impact elsewhere.

Alongside the personal regret that would have eventually resulted in holding the lead on that occasion, the reigning champion believes that such is the way of how events can very easily unfold differently in Formula 1, McLaren might not even have had its recent run of success had he chosen to disobey instructions.

“I led the race, and there were so many people like, ‘oh, I wouldn’t have let him back past’, and all of those things,” he explained.

“So easy for me to just keep pounding around and win the race, some people might have loved that, but I genuinely probably wouldn’t have been able to live with that for the rest of my life.”

Asked if it would have affected his relationship with Piastri, he added: “100 per cent. The team wouldn’t be the same as they are now.

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“Probably wouldn’t have won the Constructors’ for the last two years, which probably means we wouldn’t have won the Drivers’ Championship. I wouldn’t have won the Drivers’ Championship last year; that’s how easy it is for things to go wrong in Formula 1.

“So, I think if I won that race, McLaren wouldn’t have achieved what they have over the last few years.”

Norris was crowned champion at the final race of last season in Abu Dhabi, finishing third on the day to beat Max Verstappen by three points.

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