McLaren sent 'assassin' warning as F1 title glory looms

2016 F1 champion Nico Rosberg has warned McLaren that its drivers may turn into “assassins” as they get closer to achieving their dream of winning the title.

Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri have been the two protagonists in this year's championship fight, with little to choose between them throughout the campaign.

Piastri stretched out his lead over Norris last month after the latter retired from the Dutch Grand Prix with an engine failure.

Last time out at Monza, a slow pit stop for Norris saw him drop behind Piastri in the dying laps before his position was reinstated through a team order.

While both are still willing to play the team game, Rosberg suggested that may not be the case as the season enters its final rounds.

“McLaren has been a bit lucky that their two drivers are not yet proper assassins,” Rosberg told Sky F1.

“They’re just getting there, but they haven't arrived yet. That’s what's been holding up the whole situation so far.

“The intensity still lies ahead of us, because the world championship, it's so big. It’s your childhood dream that's at stake there.

“It’s so huge, and they're going to be fighting every weekend, so there's still plenty of action ahead of us.”

At Monza, Piastri complied with the team order despite some initial objections to the instruction.

Rosberg highlighted the importance of McLaren running through every possible scenario with its drivers to avoid meeting an unforeseen circumstance and escalating tensions in the coming rounds.

“These are horrible situations,” he added.

“What I would really ask McLaren is, ‘please sit down, take time to plan ahead for as many possible situations as possible and clearly define them amongst your drivers’.

“That’s really what they have to do.

“Some situations like this are just really hard to plan for, but it's really their duty to do that.”