What McLaren admits it got wrong in Hungary – and what it has done about it

The right decision from the Formula 1 team pitwall but executed in the wrong way.

That is perhaps the most popular perception of McLaren’s team orders controversy from the Hungarian Grand Prix.

While the strategic motivations to protect both Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris from other cars were clear when you dug into the data, equally there was a sense that the scenario that played out was one that put both its drivers in an unfair position.

Norris was left having to battle conflicting emotions about giving up a certain win, and in the end regretted how he handled things, while Piastri was left ruing how his day of glory was overshadowed by something totally out of his control.

From the moment the chequered flag fell at the Hungaroring, McLaren was adamant that the strategic motivation behind handing Norris the undercut that gave him the lead was the right one.

Concerned about the potential to be undercut by third-placed Lewis Hamilton, and mindful about the threat that Max Verstappen could pose to both its drivers later in the race, it was the correct thing to pit its cars when it did.

But, reflecting openly on what the team’s conclusions were from how it played out, team boss Andrea Stella admitted there were some elements it did not get right.

Oscar Piastri, McLaren F1 Team, 1st position, with Andrea Stella, Team Principal, McLaren F1 Team, Lando Norris, McLaren F1 Team, 2nd position, after the race

Photo by: Glenn Dunbar / Motorsport Images

Chief among them, he suggested, was in triggering a situation that it had not planned for – and therefore did not have a plan of attack agreed with the drivers, which would have avoided the drama.

“I think one point that we definitely take on board is that we should have prepared the situation better before the race,” Stella said. “You never find yourself preparing the flight plan as you fly. Okay? I think, that’s a golden rule in any kind of challenging situation.”

“This is a responsibility of the team. It’s my responsibility,” he added. “I think we entered the race having planned many, many things. But this one actually was left undiscussed, let’s say. So, this is definitely something we take on board as a team.

“We already had a few meetings together with the drivers, like, ‘What are the situations we might have not discussed already?’ So, let’s keep adding to it.”

It was the lack of preparation for the Hungary scenario that was perhaps the trigger for why the radio conversations between the pitwall and Norris were not as robust as they should have been.

Oscar Piastri, McLaren MCL38, Lando Norris, McLaren MCL38

Photo by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images

Norris in particular thinks that one of the learnings from Hungary is making sure communication is much clearer – as ambiguity can trigger uncertainty and doubt.

“I think uncertainty from [both] sides is what kind of created a much bigger thing than what it was,” he said. “But we still have a lot of trust and faith in one another. I think that’s basically how our whole foundation and team is built upon – that’s the most important thing.

“Things from both what I wanted and what I asked for, and what I questioned from the team, could have been better,” he said. “Also the team and having an understanding of what I wanted to do, making things slightly clearer, because I don’t think I can blame the team on the side. Being slightly clearer from me would help.”

But what Stella sees as a positive from stress points like Hungary is that they are not opening up cracks in team relationships.

Instead, he says the way it was dealt with between the pitwall and drivers in the race, to ride through what could have been a much bigger controversy, needed praising.

Stella added: “What I would like to stress is the quality of the conversation, and how constructive these conversations are with Oscar, with Lando and with all the other engineers.

Andrea Stella, Team Principal, McLaren F1 Team, Will Joseph, Race Engineer, McLaren F1 Team

Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images

“As part of these constructive conversations, we also realised that Lando needed a few laps to realise the situation.

“It is also a new situation for Lando, fighting for a championship. I think he just needed to realise, ‘What does it mean for me, as I’m in this condition in the car?’

“I think Will [Joseph, Norris’s race engineer] with this dialogue assisted this reflection. I had 100% confidence at the pitwall that the race would have finished in the right order.

“I think it’s a little bit of a missed opportunity for Lando – because had he swapped immediately, he would have had 20 laps actually to fight for the win. But again, this was dealt with serenity.”

One truism of McLaren’s reflection that it did not get everything right with its approach to Hungary is that it confirms a trait of the team being honest with how it is dealing with things in F1.

The squad has said many times that it is needing to learn to win again – and part of that process is learning from the times it gets it wrong. It is a point that Stella thinks was on display from the team after Hungary, as he praised Norris in particular.

“I would highlight that Lando straight away: communication on the in-lap, video message for the team, all the media, the direct conversation with Oscar and with the team here at the track, he honoured Oscar’s victory,” he said. “He acknowledged that it was a victory gained on the ground and that’s what we like to see.

Lando Norris, McLaren F1 Team, 2nd position, Oscar Piastri, McLaren F1 Team, 1st position, congratulate each other on the podium

Photo by: Steve Etherington / Motorsport Images

“It’s what we say at McLaren internally. What’s important is that we keep building, building, building and building.

“Sometimes when you have a tree falling, even if it’s very loud, actually what’s important is to think about the forest growing, which is silent. Sometimes this tree falling gives you so much information to help the forest grow.”