McLaren Team Principal Andrea Stella has suggested that team orders between Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri may become necessary during the 2025 Formula 1 season.
Since Piastri joined McLaren in 2023, both drivers have largely been free to race each other. The only exception came at the 2024 Hungarian Grand Prix, where a strategic undercut allowed Norris to pass Piastri — a move that ultimately led to Piastri’s maiden F1 victory.
Now, with both drivers in contention for the world championship — Piastri currently leads Norris by 10 points heading into the Miami Grand Prix — the team may be forced to prioritize one over the other in certain situations.
“I can’t exclude that this may happen,” Stella told media, including RacingNews365. “There are advantages to having two highly competitive drivers, and in the long term, that’s exactly what you want.”
However, Stella acknowledged that tensions may arise as the season progresses.
“There could be isolated situations where one of the drivers is upset due to a team decision or the way a race unfolds. We’re very aware of this,” he added.
“Internally, we don’t say ‘if’ this happens — we say ‘when’ this happens. Lando and Oscar understand this as well.”
Stella’s comments suggest that while McLaren remains committed to fair racing, strategic calls in the heat of a title fight may soon take precedence.