Norris & Piastri Must Receive Strong Instructions 'In Intra-Team Battle' Says Rosberg
F1Monday, 22 July 2024 at 14:30
Updated at Monday, 22 July 2024 at 14:47
Speaking to McLaren's team principal after the race, 2016 Formula One World Champion Nico Rosberg shared a recommendation from his own experience.
McLaren F1 team scored their first one-two result since the 2021 Italian GP during last weekend's 2024 Hungarian Grand Prix at Hungaroring.
However, the celebrations were affected by all the drama that took place during the race, during which the British team struggled with managing their drivers.
McLaren had the fastest car, and Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri were able to escape the rest of the drivers. The problem was that McLaren called Norris to box first and allowed him to undercut Piastri.
That was exactly what happened, and it would have been an unfair call for the driver who was leading the race, so the Papaya team then wanted to reverse this decision.
What followed was a long string of radio messages between the 24-year-old driver and his engineer, who begged him to let the Australian driver pass.
This went on for too many laps, and at one point, it seemed like Norris wouldn't ultimately let his younger teammate pass, but on lap 68, he finally did it.
There was significant tension within McLaren during and after the race, which took away from the joy of an incredible achievement in Hungary.
Consequently, former F1 driver and 2016 Champion Nico Rosberg couldn't help but first advise the team principal of McLaren (Andrea Stella) during an interview after the race on what the British team should have done differently.
"Andrea, I allow myself to make a statement first before making a question. 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 a word, 'At your convenience Lando.' That leaves the door for a driver very wide open to use all kinds of grey areas. So that would be my strong recommendation moving forward."
Rosberg went through many tense situations as a teammate of Lewis Hamilton during their time at Mercedes and knows how these should have been managed, so he pointed out he was speaking from experience.
"Very clear, strong instructions from the pit wall to the drivers. Otherwise, you end up in a whole bunch of difficulties between the drivers and I talk from experience."
During his talk, the McLaren team principal quitely listened to what the 2016 Champion had to say, and you might be curious about his response. He said:
"Nico, you talk from experience; I take your recommendation. We will make good use of it."
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