McLaren to review intra-team battles after Italian GP: “Philosophy can be risky”

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella believes the team maximized its result at the Italian Grand Prix after Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri finished fourth and fifth respectively. However, Stella said McLaren will review its approach to intra-team battles after the two drivers fought for position late in the race, with Norris briefly running onto the grass.

McLaren had won the previous two races with Norris, but Monza proved more difficult for the team. Mercedes dominated the race, while Max Verstappen also had enough pace to finish on the podium. McLaren ultimately emerged as the third-fastest team, scoring 22 points.

Norris and Piastri were involved in an intense fight in the closing stages. Norris went onto the grass while attempting to defend his position, although the British driver played down the incident after the race. Stella described the battle as hard but ultimately harmless.

“First of all, congratulations to Andrea Kimi Antonelli and Mercedes on today’s victory. They did a great job and fully deserved the result. Overall, it was a positive and strong weekend for the team,” Stella said.

“The race was incredibly tense and entertaining, and both Lando and Oscar showed the same high level of performance throughout. What we saw today was good, hard racing that provided an exciting spectacle for the fans.”

“We let them race, and although Lando’s moment on the grass looked dramatic live, our analysis suggests that it was benign. This philosophy can be risky, and we will assess it carefully, always prioritizing the interests of the team,” the McLaren boss added.

The result was nevertheless a significant improvement on McLaren’s starting positions. Norris started eighth after Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s penalty, while Piastri dropped from third to sixth following his own three-place penalty for impeding Liam Lawson in qualifying. Piastri’s grid penalty at Monza made McLaren’s recovery more difficult from the outset.

Stella also pointed to qualifying as the main reason McLaren was unable to challenge Mercedes for the victory.

“Today’s race was executed to a higher standard than qualifying, where starting P6 and P8 made us pay a price on a track where overtaking is difficult. The tow and energy management here mean that even faster cars struggle to pull away, and with Mercedes maintaining a clear advantage, we weren’t in the fight for victory,” he said.

Stella had already admitted that McLaren left performance on the table in qualifying at Monza, with small execution errors preventing Norris and Piastri from extracting the MCL40’s full potential.

Looking ahead to the final 10 races of the season, Stella believes McLaren will have stronger opportunities at circuits whose characteristics better suit the car. He specifically identified Malaysia, Austin and Interlagos as potential venues for the team to return to the fight for victory.

“Looking at the last 10 races, our goal is to fight consistently for wins, with circuits such as Malaysia, Austin and Brazil suiting us more, and upgrades coming for Baku,” Stella concluded.

Piastri, meanwhile, considered the Monza weekend one of his strongest in recent races despite finishing behind Norris. The Australian had previously acknowledged that McLaren needed more performance to challenge the leading teams at Monza. Piastri had warned that McLaren lacked the pace to beat its rivals before the race.

McLaren now turns its attention to the Spanish Grand Prix, which takes place from September 11-13 at the new Madring circuit in Madrid. The race will mark Formula 1’s first visit to the new venue.

FAQ

Can McLaren still win the 2026 F1 championship?

Yes. McLaren remains firmly involved in the 2026 championship fight, but Mercedes has strengthened its position after dominating the Italian GP. McLaren will need to recover performance across qualifying and race trim over the final 10 rounds to remain a consistent race-winning threat.

When is the next F1 race and where is it?

The next race is the Spanish Grand Prix, held from September 11-13 at the new Madring circuit in Madrid. It will be the first Formula 1 race at the new venue, making the Spanish GP one of the biggest talking points heading into the next round.

What is happening with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri at McLaren?

Norris and Piastri remain McLaren’s two race drivers, but their increasingly close championship battle means intra-team management is becoming a major F1 storyline. Stella has repeatedly emphasized allowing both drivers to race fairly, although the incident at Monza shows McLaren may need to reassess how much freedom it gives them in direct battles.