Max Verstappen amused by McLaren team orders drama: “Just because Norris had a slow stop?!”. Max Verstappen dominated the Italian GP at Monza.

Verstappen mocks McLaren’s curious strategy: the laughter on team radio

McLaren chose “fair play” after Lando Norris’ disastrous pit stop, but their late-race strategy raised eyebrows – even from Max Verstappen, who could not resist laughing about it on team radio. At Monza, the Dutchman dominated once the early battles settled, and with a massive lead at the front, he had time to react amusedly to his rivals’ peculiar decisions.

After navigating a chaotic opening phase at the Italian Grand Prix, Max Verstappen took control of the race, pulling away relentlessly and crossing the finish line more than 20 seconds clear of the McLarens. Both Woking drivers tried to keep their slim victory hopes alive until the closing stages, but their risky strategy ultimately left them exposed. Unlike Verstappen, who pitted at a conventional time, Norris and Oscar Piastri extended their opening stints to the limit, hoping desperately for a late safety car to shake up the race.

The two McLaren pit stops only came in the final laps. Piastri was called in first at the end of lap 45, while Norris followed on lap 46. However, the stop for the British driver went wrong – the pit crew struggled with the front-left tyre, losing several crucial seconds. As a result, Norris rejoined behind Piastri, dropping temporarily to third place.

McLaren’s curious strategy makes Verstappen laugh

The McLaren pit wall immediately issued an instruction: “Oscar, please give the position back to Lando, then you’ll both be free to race.” Oscar Piastri complied without protest, letting Norris back through into second place. While the strategy ensured fairness between their drivers, it left many puzzled – including Max Verstappen, who found it hilarious from the lead.

Informed over the radio of the swap between Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, Verstappen chuckled: “Haha! Just because he had a slow stop?!”

His race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase quickly stepped in to refocus his driver: “Not our business, but I think this is about maintaining fairness between their drivers in the championship. Let’s focus on our race, please.”

For Max Verstappen, the curious McLaren strategy became just another entertaining subplot on a weekend where he once again showcased complete dominance.