Lando Norris admitted he was on the brink of defying a McLaren order following a controversial Hungarian Grand Prix won by his team-mate Oscar Piastri.
Norris took eight points out of Max Verstappen’s championship lead after the Dutchman – who again collided with old foe Lewis Hamilton – could finish only fifth.
But Norris will depart the sizzling Hungaroring, pondering if McLaren’s instruction to move aside for Piastri could end up costing him his maiden world championship.
— Formula 1 (@F1) July 21, 2024Finally, reluctantly, Lando Norris relinquishes P1, and it was a tense one... 😬
Catch up on all the best bits from a wild Hungarian Grand Prix 👇#F1 #HungarianGP
Norris is 76 points behind Verstappen, but he would have headed to next weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix 69 behind the Red Bull driver if McLaren allowed him to win here.
For his part, Norris, 24, said he only had himself to blame. A mediocre start from the pole man allowed Piastri to take the lead. But Norris was handed an apparent lifeline when McLaren stopped him for fresh rubber two laps earlier than his team-mate on lap 45.
McLaren’s call – which they claimed was to cover off third-placed Hamilton – propelled Norris into first place. But it was decided that Piastri, who had been in control of the race up until that point, should be handed his maiden win.
Norris’ race engineer Will Joseph was handed the unenviable task of convincing the Englishman to make way, or, as he put it, “re-establish the order”.
Following a series of heated exchanges between driver and team, Norris eventually relinquished his near-six-second lead on the 68th lap of 70, slowing down on the main straight in clear view of the McLaren pit-wall. A point made, perhaps.
“You don’t need to say anything,” he promptly said over the radio.
“Things are always going to go through your head because you have to be selfish in this sport and you have to think of yourself as priority number one,” said Norris an hour after the chequered flag.
“But I am also a team player so my mind was going pretty crazy. The gap between me and Max is pretty big but if Red Bull and Max made the mistakes like they did today, and, as a team we continue to improve, we can turn it (the championship) around.
“Yes, it is a big goal to say I can close 70 points in half a season. But you think of the seven points I gave away today, and that crosses your mind for sure.
I am fighting for the world championship, am I not?
“It was not easy but I understood the situation and I was quite confident by the last lap I would do it.”
Norris’ engineer Joseph did not appear as confident. Cue a pit-wall domestic – which oscillated from embarrassing to the comical – played out in front of millions.
“I know you will do the right thing,” said Joseph, before he added: “You have proved your point.”
Norris protested: “I am fighting for the world championship, am I not?”
“I promise I am trying to protect you,” added Joseph. “The way to win a world championship is not by yourself. It is with the team and you are going to need Oscar and you are going to need the team…please do it now.”
— McLaren (@McLarenF1) July 21, 2024These two together. 🥹
What a weekend we've had! 🧡#HungarianGP 🇭🇺 pic.twitter.com/8XWyvbaBzx
Did Norris believe his team made the wrong decision?
“No,” he said. “I didn’t lose the win. I lost if off the line. I had a terrible start, a bad start. Something happened on my second shift and I lost momentum. I didn’t deserve to win.
“But I got put into the lead, rather than wanting to be there. That was a mistake. We made things way too hard for ourselves.
“We should have stopped Oscar first and we wouldn’t even be having this discussion. We need to talk about that.
“But after my start, I should not have had those points in my hand in the first place so the team were right and I stand by what they did.”
Norris, in his superior McLaren, insisted prior to Sunday’s 70-lap affair that he did not need to lay down a marker by converting his pole into a much-needed victory.
However, he might now have won the last five races but for mistakes by driver and team. Instead he has finished runner-up in five of his previous nine outings.
— Formula 1 (@F1) July 21, 2024VERSTAPPEN 💥 HAMILTON
A big hit which sent the Red Bull flying and ultimately ended the fight for P3 🥉#F1 #HungarianGP pic.twitter.com/I7K2Nu5sgG
Over at Red Bull, the once all-conquering Verstappen has failed to win in his previous three appearances for the first time in two-and-a-half years.
The Dutchman spent much of the race blasting his team, describing their strategy as “s***” and claiming he could not “f******” turn his car.
On lap 63 of 70 he then made contact with Hamilton’s Mercedes at turn one as they duelled for third spot. Hamilton finished third. Verstappen crossed the line in fifth. Both men were called to the stewards, but no further action was taken.
