Wolff defends ‘exposed’ McLaren on team orders

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has weighed in on McLaren's team order situation that played a large role in the outcome of the Hungarian Grand Prix.

McLaren instructed Lando Norris to let team-mate Oscar Piastri by for the lead after Norris moved to the head of the pack by pitting before Piastri.

The Briton fought his case before conceding the position three laps prior to the end, allowing Piastri to secure his first race win.

Wolff highlighted teams can only learn about dealing with such experiences when they are presented in real time.

“You can only manage the situations when you actually run into it, and you find yourself exposed,” Wolff told media including RacingNew365. 

“That is the first time that it happened to them.

“We only learned from our experiences, in how we can manage a situation where two cars, two drivers can win in the same team, and you like to collect points without giving up a drivers' championship. I am sure they are going to sit down and come up with something.”

Wolff draws up past experiences

Wolff and Mercedes are no strangers to team orders, having implanted them on several occasions during the Lewis Hamilton-Valtteri Bottas era.

As McLaren continues to find its feet at the front of the grid,  Wolff has backed the Woking-based squad to manage their drivers accordingly.

“We came up, back in the day, first with the rules of engagement and then we didn't want to call it rules anymore, so we called it racing intent. I am sure there is going to be a paper soon that is going to come out.

“I have no doubt that Andrea [Stella] and Zak [Brown] have very strong leadership and it is about defining that framework, and what is happening in each of those possible situations.

 "Remember in Hungary we had the same situation with Lewis and Valtteri. We stuck to our values. Although Lewis at that stage was in a championship, he did it. 

“I think this is what McLaren decided to do, to do the right thing. Now they are going to discuss with the drivers together and what they want to do going forward about it."