Insisting that there is no number one driver at McLaren, Andrea Stella explains why he is totally against the use of team orders.

Granted, Oscar Piastri has been asked to yield to his teammate on a couple of occasions recently, and there remain doubts over some of the strategic calls which have appeared to favour Lando Norris. However, Stella is loathe to make team orders a regular occurrence, not so much in terms of the outcome of the 2024 season, but moving forward.

The Italian feels that giving one driver priority over his teammate will only lead to future problems for the team.

"We don't have a number one driver or a number two," Stella tells Autosport. "This is a scenario that works well for the media and in pub chatter, but it's not good when you manage a Formula 1 team because you also have to consider the future.

"I can't know if we will win this season," admits the Italian, who has already confirmed that the all-important, prize money deciding constructors' standings is what really matters, "but I am aware that we want to be in a position to win in '25, '26 and '27. And if in managing the 2024 season I end up destroying the balance, I will end up not having a solid base in the following years.

"This is the way I believe we should work in Formula 1, for I am aware that complex situations can always arise. When I hear people talking about the mathematical approach of the type 'Oscar from now on must put Lando behind', I reply that Lando himself doesn't want Oscar to make himself available.

"My challenge is to be able to count on a united and compact group," he adds, "I can't be sure that we will always do a good job. But we must always be clear that we are here to continue working and building, not with the aim of having a glorious weekend, but to do well in the years to come.

"Driver management must be seen in the context of the competitiveness of the car," he continues. "You always need to have a management line, but if you compete for 10th and 11th place, all your efforts are directed towards achieving competitiveness. It is when you get to fighting for the top positions that the scenario changes.

"Our focus has always been on maximum collaboration. This is because there is a main objective, something bigger than the team principal, something bigger than Lando and something bigger than Oscar, and that is the interest of the team, of McLaren. This aspect is non-negotiable, in any situation.

"We have always approached driver management, and in general, the rules by which we go on the track according to some principles: the first, as I said, is the interest of the team, the second is sportsmanship, or if you prefer, integrity. These are very important values, we want to act fairly and correctly towards both our drivers, and this aspect becomes even more important when you have two talents who have the skills and the whole package needed to win races.

"We have worked hard to be where we are today, we have worked hard to have and develop Oscar, as well as Lando.

"When you have two drivers who work together, the growth of the team benefits, and since we were able to provide Lando and Oscar with a competitive car, that is from the Miami Grand Prix, McLaren has become the team that has scored the most points in the constructors' championship.

"When you get to be in this situation, you have to define a situation that, I think, many would like to have: how do you manage the drivers? We always start from our principles, we don't negotiate them."

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READERS COMMENTS

1. Posted by Spindoctor, 18/11/2024 12:51

"Can I just say that Sir Ron's much derided "Ronspeak" was a model of clarity compared to the corporate nonspeak of the current generation of functionaries running F1. "

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2. Posted by kenji, 17/11/2024 2:15

"@ estoril 85....If it's a team sport then why have a WDC? The entire series is focussed on the driver and the fact that teams manipulate the results is outrageous and antithetical to the sense of 'fair and equitable competition'. Watching Piastri having to concede victory in the Brazilian Sprint to Norris was disgusting. Norris' 'win' was an empiric victory and he and the entire global audience knew it but it gets worse when Stella and team try to justify the manipulation with mangled verbal garbage, highlighting, of all things 'principles'. Hopefully Piastri will not continue to accept these rules and insist that they race on merit. Race drivers exist to win, at least the real ones do. If Norris, by a stroke of luck, wins the WDC it will be a hollow victory."

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3. Posted by estoril85, 16/11/2024 13:16

"No, it's a team sport and Piastri needs to grow up a bit, very talented driver but still very young.
I remember many years ago Berger gave up a win in Belgium for Senna to gift a win back in Japan once the drivers championship was settled.
Even earlier Lauda clinching the championship by half a point to say to Prost on the podium it was his turn next year.

Piastri/Norris are not of the Prost/Senna/Lauda level and possibly not yet at the Berger level."

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4. Posted by kenji, 16/11/2024 8:07

"With the likelihood of Norris taking the WDC highly unlikely will Stella et al ensure that Piastri gets priority in the final two races to help him, if possible, take third in the WDC? I mean, that would at the very least show some backbone. Early on I thought that Stella had the chops but he's turning out to be every bit the Brown protegee. Team orders are the antithesis of what a driver does...drive to win. Watching Norris take the latest sprint win was cringeworthy."

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5. Posted by Schrodinger's cat, 16/11/2024 4:57 (moderated by an Adminstrator, 16/11/2024 9:34)

"Never let the truth get in the way. And just keep repeating a lie, until it seems like it's the truth."

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6. Posted by Max Noble, 16/11/2024 1:43

"Why doesn’t he just say, “We do not believe in team orders, except when we need to use them. We never use them when we do not need to.” Given recent team actions the above paragraphs are torture to read.
"

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7. Posted by Celtic Tiger, 15/11/2024 22:32

"Not a good PR man this Stella fella. If McLaren aren't careful (and they haven't been) they'll have another 2007 on their hands. "

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8. Posted by meatball, 15/11/2024 16:42

"His treatment of Piastri will be why Piastri leaves at the first competitive offer. Piastri is the more consistent driver. McLaren have backed the wrong horse."

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9. Posted by kenji, 15/11/2024 13:44

"Does Stella really believe that we are all massively D D and B! Just days back in the last sprint 'let Lando past'. That sprint win was 100% Piastri's and nothing Stella can say or do will change that and then he comes out with all this drivel. "

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Stella justifies stance on team orders

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