How McLaren avoided 'stressful' situation between its drivers

McLaren team principal Andreas Seidl has revealed how the team avoided a "stressful" situation between its drivers, Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo, at the 2023 Japanese Grand Prix.

lando norris and oscar piastri

Norris was given the team orders to let Ricciardo past so that he could score points, but Norris was reluctant to do so. However, Seidl was able to convince Norris to obey the team orders, and Ricciardo was able to finish in the points.

The incident occurred midway through the race, when Norris and Ricciardo were running on different tyre strategies. Norris was on fresher tyres and was closing in on Ricciardo, who was struggling with tyre degradation.

McLaren realized that if Norris was able to overtake Ricciardo, he would be able to close in on the points-scoring positions. However, Ricciardo was also on the same strategy as the leading cars, and McLaren knew that if he could pit for fresh tyres, he would be able to challenge for the podium.

McLaren decided to team orders Norris to let Ricciardo past, but Norris was reluctant to do so. Norris was feeling good in the car and believed that he could overtake Ricciardo on his own. However, Seidl was able to convince Norris that it was in the team's best interests for him to let Ricciardo past.

Seidl explained to Norris that if he was able to overtake Ricciardo, he would only be able to score a few points, as the leading cars were too far ahead. However, if Ricciardo was able to pit for fresh tyres, he would be able to challenge for the podium, which would be a much better result for the team.

Norris reluctantly agreed to the team orders, and Ricciardo was able to pit for fresh tyres. Ricciardo went on to finish the race in third place, while Norris finished in sixth place.

After the race, Seidl praised Norris for his professionalism in obeying the team orders. Seidl said that Norris understands that team results are more important than individual results, and that he is always willing to put the team first.

Seidl also said that the incident showed that McLaren has a good relationship between its drivers. He said that Norris and Ricciardo are both very competitive, but they also respect each other and are willing to work together for the good of the team.

The incident at the Japanese Grand Prix was a good example of how McLaren has managed to avoid a "stressful" situation between its drivers. Seidl was able to convince Norris to obey the team orders, and Ricciardo was able to finish in the points. This shows that McLaren has a good relationship between its drivers, and that the team is willing to put the team's interests first.

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