"This is not acceptable" - McLaren boss planning to round up both Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri for contact during the 2023 F1 Italian GP

F1 Grand Prix of Spain - Practice
Stella at the F1 Grand Prix of Spain - Practice

McLaren boss Andrea Stella feels it was not acceptable for Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri to make contact during the 2023 F1 Italian GP. The two drivers were running in close proximity throughout the race with Lando behind Oscar. This did however change during the pitstops where Norris got the jump over Piastri.

While coming out of the pits the two drivers made contact on the first turn as Lando Norris was able to get the jump over Oscar Piastri.

Talking about the incident after the race, McLaren boss Andrea Stella said that if it was due to drivers not keeping the team's best interests in play then that was unacceptable.

Talking to the media including Sportskeeda, he said:

“If the contract is due to the fact that there was pressure because of the undercut and so, then we have something to review. Because it means the drivers put the team at risk because of affirming themselves. This is not acceptable.”

Emphasizing that both McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri were free to race but within parameters, he said:

“They are free to race. My role is to give them principles, and a clear perimeter within which they can race. This is what we want to see. It’s exciting to see. Like even the Ferraris today, I’m sure on the Ferrari pit wall they were nervous, but it was a good spectacle, we want to see racing."
“But our role is to give the drivers a clear perimeter within this racing should happen. In terms of how you stay within the perimeter, it’s not for us to say because we are not the drivers," Andrea Stella added.

No way the line should be crossed - McLaren boss

Andrea Stella admitted that he would have a discussion with both drivers about this but made sure that there was no way the line should be crossed and the team's result was compromised by the drivers.

“It’s actually in terms of having the skillsets to say ‘the tyres are a bit cold, maybe I need to take more margin’. Like it’s not for me to say, I’m not in the car. It’s just they need to appreciate that there’s no way the line should be crossed," he said.

McLaren was fortunate enough that the contact between the two drivers did not amount to much in the race as the two drivers were able to continue without any issues.

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