Max Verstappen on McLaren team orders at Monza: “In Piastri’s place, I would not have let Norris by”. Max Verstappen comments on the McLaren team order at Monza.

Max Verstappen comments on the McLaren team order at Monza

Max Verstappen did not hold back when asked about the team order that unfolded at McLaren in the closing laps of the Italian Grand Prix at Monza. After Oscar Piastri was instructed to let Lando Norris past, the Dutchman made it clear that in his place, he would not have obeyed the call from the pit wall.

The reigning four-time World Champion delivered a dominant victory at Monza, crossing the line with a 20-second margin over the previously untouchable McLaren MCL39 cars of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. Max Verstappen’s flawless performance underlined Red Bull’s strength, but it was the internal McLaren drama that stole the spotlight after the race.

The team order at McLaren

With just four laps remaining, McLaren instructed Oscar Piastri to give up second place to his teammate Lando Norris. The British driver had lost the position earlier due to a slow pit stop, and the team decided to restore the order on track. Piastri complied without hesitation, allowing Norris through and settling for the third step of the podium, despite McLaren later granting both drivers free race conditions once the swap was completed.

The decision allowed Norris to claw back three valuable points in the Drivers’ Championship, reducing the gap to his teammate, who still leads the standings. Yet, the ease with which Piastri obeyed the instruction surprised many observers. Formula 1 history is full of heated disputes over similar situations — from Lewis Hamilton versus Nico Rosberg at Mercedes, to Verstappen against Sergio Perez at Red Bull, and going back even further, the legendary rivalry between Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost.

Verstappen’s reaction

At first, Max Verstappen downplayed the situation when asked in the press conference: “I know you guys want a funny answer, but it’s not my problem. It’s better not to talk about it.”

However, speaking later with Servus TV, the Dutchman dropped the diplomacy and was brutally honest. Asked directly, “If you had been in Oscar’s position…”, Max Verstappen responded immediately: “I wouldn’t have done it.”

Just a few words, but crystal clear. The personalities of the three Monza podium finishers are already well known, and Verstappen has long shown himself to be a ruthless competitor with a true winning instinct. Time will tell whether Piastri’s decision to yield will prove costly in the title fight at the end of the season, or whether it will fade into irrelevance if the championship outcome makes the team order meaningless.