Lando Norris believes that McLaren might not have achieved recent success in Formula 1 if he hadn't obeyed team orders at the 2024 Hungarian Grand Prix. The controversial decision to hand the win to teammate Oscar Piastri in the closing laps is now seen as a pivotal moment.
Initially, Norris resisted the call to let Piastri through after emerging ahead from his pit stop. However, following a tense radio exchange, he eventually complied with three laps to go, allowing Piastri to claim his first F1 victory.
Reflecting on the decision two years later, Norris acknowledges its significance. In an interview on the Beyond the Grid podcast, he discussed how the outcome shaped McLaren's trajectory. The Woking-based squad went on to secure consecutive Constructors' titles in 2024 and 2025, along with Norris's Drivers' title in 2025.
“I led the race, and there were so many people like, ‘oh, I wouldn't have let him back past’, and all those things. 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,” said Lando Norris.
When asked if it would have negatively affected his relationship with his teammate, Norris had no doubt. “100 percent. The team wouldn't be the same as they are now. 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,” he added.
Norris also highlighted the delicate atmosphere within a team if hostility develops between teammates. He emphasized that the decision in Hungary was not just about the race but about building a foundation for long-term success for McLaren. “So, I think if I won that race, McLaren wouldn't have achieved what they have over the last few years,” he concluded.
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