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Victor Petkov
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Oscar Piastri backs McLaren pit crew after Lando Norris incident
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The championship leader said it was the right call to give the position back to Norris at the Italian Grand Prix after the slow box

Oscar Piastri has come to McLaren’s defense after team orders at the Italian Grand Prix forced him to concede position to teammate and championship rival Lando Norris.

Norris had been running ahead when a slow pit stop, caused by trouble securing the front-left tyre, dropped him behind Piastri. The team immediately instructed the Australian to hand the place back, costing him six points in the drivers’ standings.

Though reluctant at first, Piastri later admitted it was the right decision. “We’ve said many times that we don’t want the chance of success just for this year,” he told reporters. “There’s a big regulation change next year – we don’t know how competitive we’re going to be, and we don’t know how competitive anyone’s going to be. Ultimately, we want the best chance at winning championships for as long as we’re Formula 1 drivers, and we’re both at McLaren for a very long time. Protecting the people around us that give us this opportunity is a very important thing. It’s easy enough to put yourself second at times like that.”

The Australian stressed that Norris had been the stronger driver throughout, so there was no bitterness in correcting the order. “If we were fighting very closely for the whole race, then it’s slightly different, but Lando was ahead by a few seconds the whole race, so there’s no concern for me with that.”

Piastri also made a point of backing the pit crew member involved in the mishap. “Protecting the people, that includes the people doing the pit stops. It’s not a very nice feeling, I would imagine. It’s important to protect all the people that we have because that’s what gives us a championship hope for years to come.”