Piastri Questions McLaren's Orders: "Were We Denied a Chance?"

Oscar Piastri wants clarity from McLaren after team orders prevented him from challenging Lando Norris during a chaotic Australian Grand Prix.

Piastri has stated that he will seek clarification from McLaren F1 regarding the team orders that were imposed during the Australian Grand Prix, the opening race of the Formula 1 season.

Heading into the race, McLaren had assured both drivers that they would be free to race each other after securing a front-row lockout in Melbourne. However, midway through the race, Piastri was instructed to hold position despite closing in on his teammate, Lando Norris, who was leading.

“Oscar, we need to hold position, please. We’re on dry tyres now, clearing backmarkers. Next up is Ocon,” his race engineer, Tom Stallard, told him on Lap 29.

At the same time, Norris received a similar message.

Piastri acknowledged the instruction but voiced his frustration: “Okay. I’m faster, but alright.”

One lap later, in a radio exchange not broadcasted during the race, Piastri questioned the decision: “Are we still holding position now that we’re clear of traffic?”

Stallard replied: “Yes, for now. Keep us updated on your pace.”

A few laps later, Norris was informed that the hold order had been lifted. However, a small mistake at Turn 6 put Piastri out of DRS range, preventing him from challenging his teammate.

Reflecting on the situation, Piastri—who eventually finished ninth after a costly mistake in the final rain shower—expressed his desire for further discussions with the team.

“Yes, the race was chaotic with extreme conditions. We were dealing with backmarkers, a drying track, and uncertainty about more rain. I want to talk to the team to understand the reasoning behind the call because lapped cars can also create overtaking opportunities,” he said.

“If we’re denied those opportunities… Well, you know, these decisions can always go either way. I just want to review it with the team.”

“By the time we were free to race again, I struggled to close back up to Lando. At that point, there was nothing more I could do. So, while it was probably a minor moment in our race, I still want to clarify it with the team.”

McLaren CEO Zak Brown Responds

McLaren CEO Zak Brown later addressed the team orders, downplaying their impact on Piastri.

“It was just a temporary call as we navigated through lapped cars. We wanted to ensure both drivers could get past safely because there was only one dry line. If they fought each other with a backmarker in between, one of them would have had to go onto the wet line, and that could have ended in disaster. Otherwise, they were free to race,” Brown explained.

While McLaren insists there was no harm done, Piastri remains keen to understand the team’s approach—especially in a season where every chance to fight for position could make a difference.