Former F1 driver and Champion, Nico Rosberg, has speculated that Oscar Piastri’s contract could be key to McLaren’s lack of team orders seen this season. Rosberg has suggested that Oscar Piastri’s contract with McLaren may contain a clause that prevents the British team from naming a clear ‘number one’ driver. The speculation followed McLaren’s apparent reluctance to issue team orders during the Italian Grand Prix at Monza, despite the team’s complex championship situation.
The Italian Grand Prix saw an intense opening lap with Oscar Piastri overtaking his team-mate Lando Norris in a daring manoeuvre. While the two McLaren drivers avoided any physical contact, Norris lost his lead to Piastri. The incident allowed Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc to capitalise on the situation, overtaking Norris and pushing him further down the grid.
Despite the momentary setback, Lando Norris was able to secure a third place finish, which helped him reduce the gap to reigning world champion and current championship leader Max Verstappen. The points gap between Norris and Verstappen is now 62 points.
However, had Norris won at Monza, the gap would have been reduced to 52 points, giving the British driver a better chance of challenging the Dutchman for the title.
With the championship battle on the horizon, many F1 insiders wondered why McLaren hadn’t issued team orders to Piastri to let Norris through, given that Norris is currently McLaren’s closest driver to the championship leader. However, McLaren management have reiterated their stance, stating that Piastri himself remains mathematically in contention for the title. The Australian, currently fourth in the standings, is 44 points behind his British team-mate and remains in contention for the coveted title.
Rosberg’s speculation
Nico Rosberg, the 2016 Formula One World Champion and former Mercedes driver, has voiced his theory on the team’s decision. Speaking on Sky Sports, Rosberg speculated that Oscar Piastri’s contract may contain specific clauses that prevent McLaren from favouring Lando Norris outright. He suggested that such an agreement could explain McLaren’s reluctance to place orders in the Briton’s favour.
Rosberg remarked: “It’s difficult, but I think there’s a clause in his contract that says he can’t help Lando,”
He went on to explain the complexity of the situation by acknowledging Piastri’s own ability and standing in the championship
“Oscar is also a very strong driver, so from his point of view, he has every chance of winning Grands Prix. Mathematically he can still be world champion. He’s not that far behind Lando. So it’s difficult to ask him to sacrifice race wins.”
Rosberg’s comments reflect the delicate balancing act McLaren must maintain. On the one hand, the team must be mindful of maximising points to challenge Verstappen’s dominant lead in the championship, while also treating their young Australian driver fairly. Favouring one driver over the other could have far-reaching psychological effects, as Rosberg pointed out.
“As a team you also have to be very careful because it can destroy a young driver mentally if you don’t treat him fairly all of a sudden. It can destroy your confidence,” he added.
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The battle for the championship
McLaren’s current position is both enviable and challenging. The team has two highly talented drivers in Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, both of whom are mathematically still in contention for the title. With eight races remaining in the season, including three sprint races, Piastri is 106 points behind championship leader Max Verstappen.
McLaren’s approach to managing the two drivers will be under scrutiny for the remainder of the season. While team orders could theoretically boost Norris’ chances of catching Verstappen, any move that could jeopardise Piastri’s development or confidence could damage the team’s longer-term prospects.
The possibility that Piastri has a clause in his contract prohibiting him from favouring Norris further complicates the situation.
Mark Webber’s influence on Oscar Piastri’s contract: lessons from the Red Bull days?
The relationship between Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel at Red Bull Racing during their five-year partnership offers crucial insights into the potential dynamics behind Oscar Piastri’s contract with McLaren.
As Piastri’s manager, Webber’s past experiences of being perceived as a number two to Vettel may have shaped how he approached his young Australian protégé’s contract, possibly insisting on a clause that prevents McLaren from favouring a single driver, which is now at the centre of Nico Rosberg’s speculation.
Webber’s tenure at Red Bull has been marked by tense moments and team orders that seemingly favoured Vettel, leaving the Australian driver often feeling sidelined. For Webber, these experiences must have been a source of frustration, especially when he was the more experienced driver at the time.
The perception that he was expected to play second fiddle to the team’s rising star, Vettel, must have influenced his attitude when negotiating Piastri’s contract. If Rosberg’s theory is correct, it is plausible that Webber, as Piastri’s manager, would have fought hard to ensure that his driver did not face a similar scenario of being relegated to a supporting role.
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The lingering shadow of the Vettel-Webber rivalry
One of the earliest and most significant incidents between Webber and Vettel occurred before they were even teammates, during the 2007 Japanese Grand Prix. Vettel, then driving for Toro Rosso, collided with Webber under the safety car, denying the Australian what could have been his first Formula One victory.
Webber’s frustration was palpable and he famously said, “They’re kids, aren’t they? Kids who don’t have enough experience, you do a good job and then they f*** it up!”
This early flashpoint set the tone for a relationship fraught with tension and acrimony.
As the pair became teammates at Red Bull Racing, the dynamic became increasingly competitive and difficult to manage. A notable example came during the 2010 Turkish Grand Prix, when Webber was leading and following team instructions to conserve fuel, while Vettel, ignoring such restrictions, attempted to overtake. The result was a dramatic collision, with the Red Bull team management – in particular Christian Horner and Helmut Marko – blaming Webber, despite the general consensus that Vettel had caused the incident.
Such moments were compounded by a pattern of preferential treatment for Vettel, which only deepened Webber’s discontent. For example, during the 2010 British Grand Prix at Silverstone, Webber was stripped of a new front wing in favour of Vettel, further fuelling the perception that Red Bull had a clear favourite. Webber famously won that race, but quipped over the team radio, “Not bad for a number two”.
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The Multi-21 controversy and its lasting effects
Tensions between Webber and Vettel came to a head during the infamous “Multi-21” incident at the 2013 Malaysian Grand Prix. Both drivers were instructed by the team to hold their positions, with Webber in front and Vettel behind. The coded message “Multi-21” meant the cars were to finish in that order. However, Vettel ignored the team orders and overtook Webber to win the race. Although Vettel initially apologised, it was widely seen as a hollow gesture and he later retracted the apology.
The Multi-21 controversy highlighted Red Bull’s internal discord and Webber’s growing frustration at being relegated to a secondary role. In the aftermath, Webber continued to race, but with a lingering sense that the team was prioritising Vettel’s success over his. These frustrations likely haunted Webber after his retirement from racing and shaped his perspective on how drivers should be treated within a team environment.
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Lessons learned: Protecting Piastri’s interests
Given Webber’s tumultuous experience at Red Bull, it is easy to see why he was so keen to ensure that Piastri did not face a similar situation at McLaren. Webber’s career has been marked by moments where he has felt unsupported or even undermined by his team’s leadership, and he would undoubtedly want to protect his young driver from the same experience. As Rosberg speculated, it is possible that Webber insisted on a ‘no number one driver’ clause in Piastri’s contract to prevent any favouritism towards Norris, and to ensure that Piastri’s path to success was not hindered by internal politics.
Such a clause would also be in line with Piastri’s ambitions as a rising talent in F1. Currently in his rookie season with McLaren, Piastri has already shown that he is more than capable of challenging his more experienced teammate, Norris. Webber’s influence may have helped create an environment in which Piastri can fully compete without being relegated to a supporting role, even if it comes at the expense of McLaren’s championship strategy.
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The changing landscape of F1 team dynamics
Mark Webber’s management of Piastri also highlights the changing nature of F1 team dynamics. During Webber’s time in the sport, driver rivalries within teams were often exacerbated by management’s apparent favouritism of one driver over another. While this practice still exists in some forms, modern Formula One is becoming increasingly team-focused, with internal rivalries being managed with greater care to avoid the kind of public explosions that characterised the Webber-Vettel era.
Webber’s approach to Piastri’s contract negotiations – if Rosberg’s suspicions are correct – suggests a desire to protect his driver from the very issues that plagued his own career. By securing a clause that prevents McLaren from naming a number one driver, Webber would ensure that Piastri has the freedom to compete on an equal footing with Norris, without the fear of being relegated to second driver status, as Webber himself often was.
The wider context of team orders in F1
Rosberg’s comments underline a wider issue within Formula One regarding team orders and driver dynamics. In the modern era, teams have to balance the demands of fighting for championships with developing young talent, and the consequences of favouring one driver over another can be complex.
This scenario is reminiscent of past situations, notably Rosberg’s own experience with Mercedes, where his fierce rivalry with Lewis Hamilton tested the team dynamics to the limit. Team orders have long been a source of controversy in the sport, with examples such as Ferrari’s handling of Sebastian Vettel and Charles Leclerc, or Red Bull’s management of Max Verstappen and Sergio Pérez, highlighting the difficult decisions facing team principals.
With eight races to go, including three sprints, both Norris and Piastri remain in contention for the title, but how McLaren approach their strategy going forward could determine the final outcome of their season.
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Well done Webber. More of that should be in all contract.
That might be possible at McLaren.
You try and get something like that in your contract at Mercedes or Ferrari and you’d get fired right out the door onto your head!