Lando Norris admits he feels ashamed about his role in the team orders debate which overshadowed Oscar Piastri’s maiden win in Formula One at last weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix.
The Brit spent 20 laps agonising over whether he should allow Piastri to regain the place he surrendered by taking an early pit stop to protect the McLaren pair against Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton.
Norris eventually did let Piastri past – an act he insists was never in doubt – but admits he has regrets over how the fiasco played out in public.
‘Could it have been handled slightly differently from both a team side and personally? Yeah, absolutely,’ said Norris, who sits second in the drivers’ standings behind reigning world champion Max Verstappen.
‘Whatever people on the outside think and they’re going to come up with their own stories of what happened and what I would and wouldn’t have done, I don’t mind about that.
Lando Norris pictured after finishing second at Sunday’s Hungarian Grand Prix. He has admitted he feels guilty about ‘clouding over’ teammate Oscar Piastri’s first Formula One win
Piastri pictured on the podium on Sunday lifting the trophy after a memorable win in Hungary
The McLaren pair pictured after the race. Norris eventually let Piastri past and believes all parties will learn from the Budapest episode
The Brit had surrendered the place by taking an early pit stop to help protect the McLaren pair against Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton (pictured, on Sunday)
‘But there’s things that I could have done. The fact I clouded over Oscar’s first race win in Formula One is something I’ve not felt too proud about.
‘The fact we had a one-to and that was barely a headline after the race. Those are the bits I’ve felt worst about.’
When asked whether McLaren need to make him their No 1 driver to avoid such sticky situations in the future, the Brit said: ‘No, I still need to earn it. I still need to go out there and drive quicker than everyone. What happened doesn’t change anything. Why is it now where we would have a biased in that team. We have never had that.
Piastri agreed with that sentiment, adding: ‘It is important that we continue building the team by scoring as many points as possible for the constructors’ championship.
‘If Lando is in a position to win the drivers’ title, and they ask me to help, then I will, but halfway through the season, with so many points on offer, it is still very early to do that.’