McLaren's Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris ‘very aligned’ ahead of Azerbaijan GP with F1 title implications

The Italian Grand Prix at Monza had all the makings of a McLaren masterclass until a pit-stop mishap flipped the script. Lando Norris, running second behind race winner Max Verstappen, commanded lead over his teammate Oscar Piastri in third place for much of the 53-lap contest. McLaren, aiming to protect their drivers from Ferrari's Charles Leclerc in fourth, deviated from convention by pitting Oscar Piastri first on Lap 45. Piastri's stop was flawless, but Norris's subsequent visit on Lap 46 turned disastrous, a faulty wheel gun on the left front cost him nearly six seconds, dropping him behind his teammate and into third place.

With five laps remaining, McLaren intervened, asking Piastri to restore the “natural order” by letting Norris through

to second place. Piastri complied without hesitation, securing second for Norris and third for himself, but not before a pointed radio message, saying, “Is a slow pitstop part of racing?”

As Formula 1's high-stakes championship showdown intensifies, McLaren's Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris have emphasized their unified front with the team, declaring themselves “very aligned” on racing strategies amid the ongoing title fight. Speaking on the eve of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Piastri, reflected on the controversial orders two weeks ago. “From Monza, there was another factor outside of the slow pit stop, being the order we pitted in. That was a contributing factor to why we swapped,” he explained. Piastri further added, “That one I'm happy to talk about because it happened. We can't plan for every scenario but we are very aligned and I respect the team's decisions and trust they will do their best to make the right one.”

There was another for reasoning in swapping: Oscar Piastri said on team orders given during the Italian Grand Prix

Oscar Piastri reportedly stood by his in-race comments, reiterating that slow pit stops are inherent to racing, but acknowledged the added context of the strategy call. “In the car, the context wasn't there about what else had happened in terms of the pit stop sequencing. So it was decided there was another factor for the reasoning in swapping,” Piastri said. The Australian expressed full trust in McLaren's decision-making, signaling a harmonious approach as the season enters its final stretch with seven races remaining.

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella defended the move post-race, emphasizing consistency with past principles, like the 2024 Hungarian Grand Prix, where Norris yielded to Piastri after a similar undercut scenario. The Azerbaijan Grand Prix, set for September 20-22, marks a pivotal moment for McLaren, who lead the constructors' standings by a comfortable margin over Mercedes and Red Bull. The team has dominated 2025 with seven 1-2 finishes, but Verstappen's Monza triumph, his first since May reportedly highlights vulnerabilities. Baku's history of chaos, from safety cars to dramatic overtakes, could play into McLaren's hands if Piastri and Norris maintain their synergy.