Helmut Marko: “As long as McLaren is this dominant, they don’t need team orders”. Helmut Marko says McLaren’s dominance in 2025 F1 means team orders aren’t needed yet.

The first half of the 2025 Formula 1 season, culminating with the Hungarian Grand Prix at the Hungaroring before the traditional summer break, has been a showcase of McLaren’s extraordinary performance. The Woking-based team has dominated the track with a level of supremacy that at times has bordered on overwhelming, as both Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris’ cars claimed a remarkable 11 victories out of the 14 races held so far.

These incredible results have effectively narrowed the title fight to an internal battle between McLaren’s two drivers, with Oscar Piastri currently leading his teammate by nine points. The dominance of the papaya-colored team has been so pronounced that it has left competitors far behind in the championship standings.

Commenting on McLaren’s supremacy, Red Bull’s long-time consultant Helmut Marko emphasized that, from his perspective, the team does not need to implement team orders as long as the performance gap with rivals remains so wide.

“As long as they are this dominant, they can do without team strategies, and I find it very sporting that they haven’t issued any orders yet,” Marko said in an interview with F1insider. “But when the situation tightens, it is definitely a disadvantage if two top drivers take points away from each other. At the moment, however, this is not the case. With the lead they have, they aren’t taking any risks.”

Marko also shared his views on McLaren’s two standout drivers. “Oscar Piastri is stronger mentally, more consistent, and always extracts the maximum from the car. I’ve never seen him emotionally overwhelmed. Lando Norris may be quicker over a single lap, but overall, I see Piastri with the advantage.” – he pointed out ahead of the Dutch Grand Prix.

These observations highlight the unique challenge for McLaren: managing two highly talented drivers while maintaining their performance edge. With such a commanding lead, the team can focus on fine-tuning strategies and maximizing points without the pressure of enforcing strict team orders, a luxury not afforded to teams closer to the competition.