How McLaren’s radio messages played out in the Hungarian GP

McLaren’s protracted team order calls on the radio to Lando Norris, as it tried to convince the British driver to cede position to long-time Hungarian Grand Prix leader Oscar Piastri, occasionally strayed into combative territory.

Norris had been granted an undercut strategy despite running behind team-mate Piastri on the road, although the two had been split by over four seconds until Piastri took a trip off-road at Turn 11 to cut the gap by around 2.5s.

This put the team’s strategy into more precarious waters, as it became certain that Norris would overlap his team-mate as the two came in for their stops.

There were concerns that the McLarens would get caught out by Lewis Hamilton’s undercut strategy, or a potential undercut from Max Verstappen, and thus the team wanted to cover this off by stopping Norris first.

Here is the transcript of the deliberations between the respective engineers, Tom Stallard calling the shots for Piastri, and Will Joseph handling Norris’ race from the pitwall.

Lap 43, Tom Stallard to Oscar Piastri: We think we will not try to cover Hamilton. It’s very early to stop now.
L43, TS: Oscar, how far do you think we can get? Can we get to Plan A target lap?
L43, Will Joseph to Lando Norris: Lando, gap to Hamilton is 28.5, we think it’s a bit early at the moment. We’d like to do target minus five at whatever pace we can get.
L45, WJ: Lando, opportunity: Turn 2 braking point is good, less peak.

Joseph’s later message to Norris appeared to be a somewhat coded call to stop, and he duly did so at the end of lap 45.

Lando Norris, McLaren MCL38

Photo by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images

Piastri, who was still leading, was kept abreast of his team-mate’s movements in the pitlane. Stallard informed Piastri that Norris had now completed his final pit service – a switch from the hard to medium tyres. The Australian was going to get the same tyres, but at the end of lap 47 to stretch the stint marginally more, so Piastri was asked to take the rest of life from his tyres before pitting one final time.

L46, TS: Lando has pitted to cover Hamilton. We’ll manage that situation. Best pace from you now. Best pace.
L46, TS: Best pace, don’t worry about Lando.

Norris was also kept informed and, as Piastri emerged from the pits well clear of Hamilton, McLaren felt confident it had locked in a 1-2 finish. Thus, Joseph told Norris to enact the switch at the most opportune time.

L48, WJ: Okay Lando, Oscar has just pitted. He’ll likely come out just behind you. We’d like to re-establish the order at your convenience.

However, Piastri made a small mistake on his outlap and brushed the gravel on the exit of Turn 12 to lose time to Norris. And, unlike Norris, he was unable to pick up the pace enough to close in.

Having emerged from the pits about 2.5s behind Norris, Piastri had thus lost further time in his gravel rearrangement and to Norris on warmer tyres.

Joseph thus tried to keep Norris in check and asked him to start managing tyres to the end, expecting his driver to start reducing his pace and allow Piastri to start closing in for a relatively hassle-free switch in position. Piastri was also given a light nudge to start picking up his pace and told definitely that he’d get the place back once he closed Norris down.

L49, WJ: Lando, just 21 laps after this one, you do have the current fastest lap. Look after the tyres.
L51, TS: Okay Oscar, once you get to Lando we will swap the position. But we want to avoid Lando having to give up a lot of race time.

At this juncture, Verstappen had just pitted and had been undercut by Hamilton and Charles Leclerc, while the McLarens were continuing to move further away from Hamilton. Losing time to the trio of cars behind was still a concern but, as it became clear that the McLarens had the pace to preserve position, Joseph began to request Norris for the swap in position once again.

Lando Norris, McLaren MCL38

Photo by: Lubomir Asenov / Motorsport Images

Norris, perhaps reflecting on the near-misses he’d had so far this season, was however not of a mind to be particularly forthcoming in that request. He suggested that the team should have reversed the stop order if it was concerned with preserving the positions.

L53, WJ: Lando, radio check please.
LN: Yes, loud and clear.
WJ: Okay, save the tyres in T4 and T11 please.
L56, WJ: We need you to save tyres, and we want to let Oscar through.
LN: Um, well you should have boxed him first then, surely?
WJ: Doesn’t matter.
LN: It does. For me, maybe.

After that fleeting confrontation, Joseph cut an exasperated figure on the radio as Norris showed few signs of budging. He remained concerned about the state of the medium tyres and issued frequent reminders, while also trying to appeal to Norris’ conscience.

Norris instead countered that all Piastri had to do was catch up, while extending the gap to his team-mate despite suggestions to slow down.

L57, WJ: Lando we still think you’re using the tyres too much, T4, T11, and the rears exit Turn 6, Turn 9. Oscar’s 3.5 [seconds behind], I know you’ll do the right thing.
L59, WJ: Turn 4, Turn 11. It’s gonna get boring.
L61, WJ: Okay Lando, 10 laps to go. We think both cars are using tyres too much. Just remember every Sunday morning meeting we have.
LN: Yep, tell him to catch up then please.

Then came the bargaining. Norris had now taken the lead up to over five seconds, having set an array of times in the mid-to-high 1m21s. Joseph, perhaps showing concern for the team harmony amid the strategy produced to secure the McLaren 1-2, told Norris as such. But racing drivers are rarely concerned with the philosophy of utilitarianism, and Norris wanted to prioritise his outside bet at the championship.

Joseph countered that if Norris was to win the 2024 title, he’d need the support of the team – with Piastri as a potential wingman/tail-gunner to do so.

Even the usually unflappable Piastri started to wonder if Norris was going to play the team game. Stallard ensured that it was all under control – and Joseph eventually corralled Norris into slowing down at the end of lap 67 to allow the drivers to swap positions.

L64, WJ: Lando, he can’t catch you up. You’ve proved your point and it really doesn’t matter.
LN: He’s on much quicker tyres. I mean, I would have tried to undercut anyway, if I didn’t I would have gotten…
WJ: We did this stop sequence for the good of the team.
LN: Yeah and I’m fighting for this championship.
WJ: I’m trying to protect you, mate. I’m trying to protect you.
L66, WJ: Lando there are five laps to go. The way to win a championship is not by yourself. You’re going to need Oscar and you’re going to need the team.
L67, OP: The longer we leave this, the riskier it gets.
TS: Don’t worry Oscar, we’re managing it.
WJ: If there’s a safety car now, it makes this very awkward. Please do it now.

Oscar Piastri, McLaren MCL38, 1st position, passes his celebrating team on the pit wall at the end of the race

Photo by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images

Eventually, Norris let him through and stayed on the Melburnian’s tail for a short while before eventually settling back into second. Although clearly aggrieved by the decision, Norris seemed to have cooled down by the end and accepted the team’s point of view – even if he didn’t necessarily agree with it.

L68, LN: Yeah you don’t need to say anything.

Piastri finished the job to clinch his first F1 win, and even apologised for perhaps making the team orders call a little more difficult owing to his pre-pitstop excursion and reduced pace in the final stint.

L70 TS: Well done Oscar, well done, chequered flag. Well done buddy. Really good.
OP: Yeah, thank you, everyone, thank you very much, thanks for the coordination. Sorry, I made the swap a little bit more painful than it needed to be, but thank you, appreciate that. Maximum points. Really good weekend. Huh. First F1 win. Thanks everyone.
L70 LN: Well done, good 1-2, good load of points. Congrats to you all. Well deserved.
WJ: As I said this morning mate, loads more opportunities.