Revealed: Every message as McLaren desperately pleaded with Lando Norris to obey team orders

Lando Norris gaining the lead of the Hungarian Grand Prix with a late undercut resulted in some terse radio messages between McLaren and their driver.

McLaren’s strategic decision to pit Lando Norris before the leader Oscar Piastri at the final stops resulted in the British driver moving into the lead – a situation that resulted in tension as McLaren desperately tried to reverse the order.

McLaren’s radio messages to Lando Norris revealed

With Norris brought in before Piastri, the power of the undercut moved the British driver ahead of the Australian after Piastri had controlled the race up front for the first two stints.

With Norris head in the championship and eager to close down Max Verstappen in the standings, Norris clearly had victory in mind – but McLaren wished to restore the order by moving Piastri back into the position he had earned on merit.

With Norris initially resisting, he moved aside for his teammate on Lap 68 with just three laps remaining. Looking back over every team radio message between McLaren and the drivers, here’s how Norris’ race engineer Will Joseph talked his driver around.

Lap 47:

Tom Stallard, race engineer to Oscar Piastri (TS): “OK Oscar, Lando has pitted to cover Hamilton to make sure he covers Hamilton. We’ll manage that situation, best pace from you now. Best pace.

“Best pace. Don’t worry about Lando.”

Lap 48:

Will Joseph, race engineer to Lando Norris (WJ):

“OK Lando, Oscar has just pitted. He’ll likely come out just behind you. We’d likely to re-establish the order, at your convenience.”

Lap 49:

WJ: “Lando, still 21 laps after this one. You do have the current fastest lap, look after the tyres.”

Lap 51:

TS: OK Oscar, so, once you get to Lando, we’ll swap positions. We’ll swap position, but we want to avoid Lando having to give up a lot of race time.”

Lap 53:

WJ: “And Lando, radio check, please.

LN: “Yes, loud and clear.”

WJ: “OK, save the tyres at Turn 4 and Turn 11, please.”

Lap 56:

WJ: “We need to save more tyres please, and we do want to let Oscar through.”

LN: “Well you should have boxed him first then, surely no?”

WJ: “Doesn’t matter.”

LN: “I mean, it does. To me maybe.”

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Lap 57:

WJ: “And Lando, we still think you’re using the tyres too much at Turns 4 and 11 and the rears at exit Turn 6 and Turn 9. Oscar is 3.5 [behind] – we know you’ll do the right thing.”

Lap 58:

WJ: “And Lando, Hiroshi is stressed about the tyres.”

Lap 59:

WJ: “Turn 4, Turn 11 – it’s going to get boring.”

Lap 61:

WJ: “OK Lando, 10 laps to go – we think both cars are using their tyres too much. Just remember every single Sunday morning meeting we’ve had.”

LN: “Yeah, well tell him to catch up please.”

Lap 64:

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 did, I would have got more.”

WJ: “Mate, we did the stop sequence in this order for the good of the team.”

WJ and LN talk over each other for a sentence – unintelligible.

WJ: “I’m trying to protect you mate, I promise, I’m trying to protect you.”

Lap 66:

WJ: “And Lando, there are five laps to go. The way to win a championship is not by yourself, it’s with the team. You’re going to need Oscar, and you’re going to need the team.”

Lap 67:

OP: “The longer we leave this, the riskier it gets.”

TS: “Understood, Oscar, we’re managing it.”

WJ: “A potential Safety Car now would make this very awkward. Please do it. Now.”

Lap 68: Norris slows down the main straight to release Piastri into the lead

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

Lap 70: Chequered flag, Piastri leads McLaren 1-2 home for maiden F1 win

TS: “Well done, Oscar, well done. Chequered flag. Well done, buddy. Really good.”

OP: “Yep, 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, I appreciate that. Well done, maximum points, and a really good weekend. Ha. First F1 win, thank you very much, everyone, thanks.”

LN: “Well done, good 1-2, a good load of points. Congrats to the team. Well deserved.”

WJ: “As we said this morning mate, many more opportunities.”

TS: “And you are also Driver of the Day!”

OP: “Ah, a nice little bonus, thank you.”

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