🔥 McLaren Sounds the Alarm: Norris-Piastri Battle at Monza Set for Internal Review

McLaren is set to take another look at how Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri are allowed to race each other after tensions surfaced during the closing stages of the Italian Grand Prix at Monza. The two McLaren drivers went wheel-to-wheel in a battle for position, with Norris later suggesting over team radio that Piastri had forced him off the circuit.

The fight intensified with only a few laps remaining. Norris initially overtook Piastri on lap 48 to move into fourth place, but the Australian immediately responded by reclaiming the position on the following lap. Norris then launched another attack, moving down the inside as the available space disappeared and two of his wheels were forced onto the grass.

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella said the team deliberately allowed the drivers to fight because both cars were running on identical tyres with similar tyre wear. According to Stella, the team wanted to remain faithful to its philosophy of allowing its drivers to race rather than immediately imposing team orders. However, after reviewing the incident, McLaren concluded that it was less serious than it appeared in the heat of the battle.

Stella acknowledged that the internal fight may have cost McLaren valuable time in its attempt to challenge Max Verstappen. As a result, the team will examine whether there was a better way to manage the situation without unnecessarily restricting the drivers. This is particularly significant given McLaren’s previous controversies surrounding its internal racing rules, including last year’s team-order situation involving Norris and Piastri at Monza.

Despite the drama between his drivers, Stella admitted that McLaren was unlikely to beat Verstappen on pure pace at Monza. The Red Bull driver eventually overtook both McLarens and secured third place behind George Russell and race winner Kimi Antonelli. McLaren’s upcoming review will therefore focus not only on the Norris-Piastri battle itself, but also on whether their aggressive fight prevented the team from maximizing its result against Verstappen.