‘Team orders’ is an almost unavoidable phrase in a Formula 1 race weekend, discussed in interviews, requested over the radio and scrutinised as soon as the final car passes the checkered flag. But, what does it mean and why are McLaren falling victim to the ‘team orders’ curse time and time again?
McLaren, back-to-back winners of the Constructors Championship, are unbeatable as a team, with the other nine teams getting familiar with the rear of the McLaren car this season . But with two drivers destined for pole positions, winning races and breaking records, it raises the question: why do McLaren fall short at managing their drivers individually?
Lando Norris, the longest standing McLaren driver, has been with the team since the Young Driver Programme in 2017 and made his official debut in Formula 1 two years later. Oscar Piastri replaced Daniel Ricciardo in 2023 and quickly gave the older, senior driver a run for his money. Piastri won his first race for McLaren at the Hungarian Grand Prix 2024 but the celebrations were soured when the McLaren team order came to demand Norris to give back the position to Piastri, who had proven himself as the strongest driver throughout the weekend. This weekend birthed the ongoing battle between the two drivers, which was officially titled ‘Papaya Rules’ in September 2024, following the chaotic Italian Grand Prix.
Max Verstappen, driver of McLaren’s biggest competitor, spent the 2024 season battling with Norris in a close fight. Verstappen ended up taking his fourth Championship title under the Las Vegas lights, but by this point, it seemed the damage between the two McLaren drivers was irreversible. McLaren’s desperation for a World Championship driver became overwhelming, especially given their last win was held by Lewis Hamilton in 2008. McLaren has finally put a car on track that has the speed, driven by two phenomenal drivers but fans fear that boisterous on-track battles and blatant team favouritism will be the teams ultimate downfall.
Zak Brown, McLaren CEO, made it clear that the drivers were to follow these three cornerstones heading into the 2025 season:
- Do what is best for the team
- Do not crash into each other
- Ensure both drivers have a fair playing field
Piastri proved himself in 2024 as a sensational driver, but as the 2025 season went underway, Norris was still the favourite McLaren driver to be lifting the trophy in Abu Dhabi. The narrative of Norris winning his first World Championship made a quick U-turn as Piastri’s calm and collected manner saw him leading the title fight. However, Piastri’s confidence since the Azerbaijan Grand Prix has taken a hit after the Aussie driver took an unfortunate hit into the wall. Norris has been able to rise through the pressure to reclaim the top spot. This has created interesting tensions in the McLaren garage, with alternating drivers leading the Championship at different points throughout the season. This tension has inevitably manifested onto the track at times too, with their fight in Canada concluding with Norris clipping the back of Piastri’s wheel and colliding into the wall – resulting in a DNF for the Brit. This bad luck continued into Singapore, where Norris made an optimistic overtake on the first corner and managed to finish ahead of his teammate. Piastri, who was at the time leading the Championship, called the team strategy “unfair” and in an ideal world, Norris should have been asked to give the place back.
The word “favouritism” has been thrown around to describe McLaren’s choices that can often be seen as more lenient to their more senior driver but they have remained insistent on avoiding labelling a ‘first’ and ‘second’ driver. Mercedes and Ferrari follow the same tactic of not prioritising a ‘first’ driver while Red Bull has seen success by allowing Verstappen to take precedence over his teammate. Both tactics have created Formula 1 winners, but McLaren are cracking under the pressure of it.
As it stands, Norris has managed to claw back the Championship in the latter part of the season, currently ahead with 24 points. With a triple header that will mark the end of the 2025 season, these three races could change everything. Despite Norris’ current lead, Piastri still remains in the fight but it will be interesting to see who the team orders favour as the battle reaches its boiling point.
Chloe Thompson
