McLaren vindicated for team orders controversy: 'It showed integrity'

Matteo Bobbi believes McLaren displayed "integrity" by instructing Oscar Piastri to hand his position to Lando Norris during the Italian Grand Prix. The former Minardi test driver highlighted how it was something the Woking-based squad could "give back" to the 25-year-old after a reliability issue saw him retire from the previous round, the Dutch Grand Prix. Norris had been comfortably headed for second place at Monza, behind Max Verstappen, but crucially, in front of Piastri. However, a slow pit stop - having offered his team-mate to be brought in first to cover off Charles Leclerc - saw him lose track position to the other MCL39. The British driver had been assured no undercut would take place, which prompted McLaren to subsequently intervene when his stop went awry. Although Piastri initially voiced his dissatisfaction with the call, he reluctantly moved aside. Following the race, he fell in line, confirming he thought it was "fair" and the right decision for the team. Whilst acknowledging the Australian was not initially pleased about the team orders handed down, Bobbi feels McLaren showcased its willingness to keep the title fight between its two drivers "clean." "I think they showed the integrity of the team, and it's good, at least for all of us, because the championship now was still a little bit open," the 47-year-old exclusively told RacingNews365 . "But of course, Piastri is not happy about that, because a mistake is a mistake, and this time it went on Lando's side, but I think they showed that they want the battle to be clean." With the gap between the pair having been 34 points at race start, the decision produced a six-point swing in the drivers' championship fight. Piastri's advantage shrank to 31 points, which it would have become without Norris' poor pit stop, as opposed to growing to 37. However, Bobbi argued it was in some ways an absolution for the bitter luck that had befallen the latter in the Netherlands one week before. "And in a way, it was something to give back for what happened in Zandvoort, where he had the mechanical failure," the Italian racing driver-turned-pundit added.