18/06/2025 12:00
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has issued advice to McLaren
over managing its drivers amid the ongoing F1 title fight. McLaren
has enjoyed a strong opening phase to the current F1 campaign, with
Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris sitting first and second in the
standings respectively. However, the Canadian Grand Prix last
weekend marked the first time the pair came together on track when
Norris hit the rear of Piastri's car towards the end of the grand
prix. Wolff once oversaw a tense atmosphere within Mercedes when
Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg contended for titles in the opening
phase of the hybrid era. The Austrian detailed setting strict
rules of engagement is critical for McLaren to maintain harmony and
success. "I've seen the movie, and I was writing there as the
cast," Wolff told media including RacingNews365 . "It's difficult
because it's what drivers are calibrated to all their lives in
championships, and particularly when you come into F1. "The trick
is here to establish the rules. Establish 'how do we want to go
about it?' "Obviously it increases the complexity if the
constructors' championship is in your hands too. "You could always
argue 'we need to win the constructors' championship, we need to
score these points'. "But in that case, they're so far ahead that
it's not even a question whether they will win that." The
personality differences between Piastri and Norris have
consistently been noted, with Piastri's relaxed approach
contrasting with Norris' honest confessions. Wolff highlighted the
pair are two different characters compared to the Mercedes rivals
of the past, as he stated the team will only be able to learn by
experiencing tough situations. "It's certainly a tricky
situation," he stated. "The characters are very different [from
when] they were with us. "It's about strong management to learn
that, but we were learning by doing, and I'm sure that these guys
will get on top of that."
