Norris reflects on Hungarian GP team order controversy

McLaren driver admits regret over handling of Piastri's maiden F1 win

Lando Norris has expressed remorse over his actions during the Hungarian Grand Prix, acknowledging that his hesitation to follow team orders overshadowed teammate Oscar Piastri's first Formula 1 victory.

The British driver's candid admission comes as the paddock prepares for the Belgian Grand Prix, with Norris keen to address the controversy that marred McLaren's impressive 1-2 finish.

The incident in question occurred when Norris, who had been moved to the front through strategic pit stop timing, was instructed to cede the lead to Piastri.

While Norris eventually complied with the team's directive, his delayed response and questioning of the order over team radio sparked debate within the F1 community.

Reflecting on the situation, Norris conceded that both he and the team could have managed the scenario more effectively.

"Could it have been handled slightly differently from both a team side and from a personal side? Yeah, absolutely,"

Norris admitted.

"I think we would not be having this conversation now in some ways."

The McLaren driver's primary regret centers on how his actions impacted the perception of Piastri's achievement.

"The fact that I kind of clouded over Oscar's first race win in F1 is something I've not felt too proud about,"

Norris stated. He further lamented that the team's impressive 1-2 finish was overshadowed by the controversy, noting,

"The fact we had a 1-2, and that was barely a headline after the race... that's the bits I felt worse about."

Learning from the incident

Despite the negative fallout, Norris views the experience as a learning opportunity for both himself and the team.

He revealed that discussions have taken place within McLaren to address the issue and improve communication in similar situations going forward.

"We've discussed it, we have spoken about it. Both sides could have done things a little bit better and a little bit differently,"

Norris explained.

"It's almost not good that we had it, but it's a good moment that we've had it, we've learned from it, and hopefully it's done better next time."

Hindsight and strategic missteps

Upon reflection, Norris acknowledged that his approach to the team order was flawed.

He now recognizes that immediately complying with the instruction would have been the optimal course of action, potentially allowing him to challenge Piastri for the lead afterward.

"Just let him pass straight away. It's such a stupid thing that I didn't, because we're free to race,"

Norris admitted.

"I could have just let him pass, still tried to overtake and to race him. It sounds so simple now, but it's not something that went through my head at the time."

The British driver attributed his delayed response to being in a good rhythm and performing well at the time.

However, he now understands that his questioning of the team's decision only served to complicate matters unnecessarily.

Commitment to team orders

Despite the controversy, Norris was adamant that he never intended to disobey the team's instruction.

"It was always clear I always knew that I had to let him go,"

he stated.

"But the longer I waited, just because it didn't matter if I let him go straight away or at the end, the more people questioned whether I would have done it or not."