McLaren team principal Andrea Stella expressed his support for Lando Norris after the British driver initially refused to follow team orders to let his teammate Oscar Piastri pass during Sunday’s race at the Hungaroring. Stella revealed that he would have been "very concerned" if Norris had simply complied without voicing any objections.

The race saw pole-sitter Norris drop behind Piastri at the start, with the Australian driver building and maintaining a comfortable lead through the first round of pit stops. However, McLaren's strategy shifted when they felt threatened by potential undercuts from cars behind. This led them to pit Norris before Piastri during the second round of stops, resulting in the two drivers swapping positions due to the fresh tyre advantage Norris gained.

Despite being instructed to allow Piastri through, Norris initially questioned the call, showing reluctance. It was only after several reminders from his engineer, Will Joseph, referencing their pre-race discussions, that Norris conceded and let Piastri pass. This moment sparked significant debate among fans and analysts.

In a post-race interview with Sky Sports F1, Stella provided insights into McLaren’s race-day discussions and the team's philosophy. "There’s an entire approach to racing that we have with our drivers – team and drivers," he explained. "We are in this trajectory together. None of us, the team, Lando, Oscar, can go alone. That’s the message we discussed on Sunday morning."

Stella emphasized the importance of team cohesion and support, praising both drivers for their contributions to McLaren's success. "We are extremely pleased by how our drivers are supporting the trajectory of McLaren, which is incredible. For me, that’s the news today."

Reflecting on the incident, Norris acknowledged the difficulty of the situation and his determination to challenge Red Bull's Max Verstappen for the championship. Norris remains second in the drivers' standings, 76 points behind Verstappen, with Piastri in fifth place, 40 points further back.

Stella highlighted the competitive nature of racing drivers and the necessity of team orders in certain scenarios. "I don’t know any race driver that when he is leading a race would be happy to say, ‘Oh yeah, of course, why don’t we swap back the position to the previous order?’ That’s not possible, that’s not the nature of the drivers," he stated.

Looking ahead, Stella stressed the need for collaboration within the team to remain competitive in the championship. "For Lando in particular, who is in the stronger position, he will need the support of Oscar, he will need the support of the team. That’s how we are moving forward."

Oscar Piastri celebrated his maiden win in Hungary, describing it as "very special" despite the team orders that initially made him nervous. The young Australian driver’s performance and the strategic decisions made by McLaren highlight the team’s commitment to success in the highly competitive world of Formula 1.