McLaren make driver priority call in F1 title fight with Verstappen

McLaren boss Andrea Stella has declared that it will prioritise Lando Norris over Oscar Piastri in the F1 title fight against Max Verstappen. 

Heading into the Italian Grand Prix where Norris and Piastri started on the front-row, McLaren had declared that "papaya rules" were in effect, with Piastri promptly barging past Norris at Turn 4 on the opening lap. 

Both drivers opted for a two-stop strategy, but finished second and third, with Piastri ahead as Charles Leclerc one-stopped his way to a Ferrari win at Monza. 

Including the fastest lap bonus point, Norris earned 16 points, which took eight out of Verstappen's 70-point lead after his own sixth-place finish on a difficult weekend for Red Bull. 

For Piastri, he is now fourth in the standings on 197 points, some 106 behind Verstappen and 44 behind Norris with eight rounds and three sprint races remaining. 

When pushed if McLaren would now adopt Norris as number one driver, Stella indicated that it would do so. 

"Both drivers are mathematically in contention to do so, but Lando is obviously in the best position from a numbers point of view," Stella told media including RacingNews365. 

"We are fighting Max Verstappen so if we want to support one driver, we definitely have to pick the one that is in the best position.

"Already in our conversations before the race, we acknowledged that Lando is in the best position from a drivers' championship point of view, so we will have conversations with Oscar, with Lando and together and then define our rules of engagement. 

"We need to take a look at the first lap, but it has to be done in a way that is detailed, specific, takes into account the video, the expectations of the drivers and then we will see what we can learn from this situation to adjust the future, save the fact that we do want to give it a go in the drivers' with Lando."

Norris help

After Piastri's overtake, it meant Norris once again failed to convert a pole position into leading the first lap - something he has never done from P1 on the grid in F1. 

Stella committed to working with Norris to iron out the creases. 

"Lando is doing very well, pole position at Zandvoort, pole position here and if anything with Lando, we need to adjust some little racing things that may help him capitalise on a pole position like we had here at Monza," he said.

"I think if we look at his first lap, we will review it together and we may see that there were a couple of things that we could have done slightly better."