McLaren's controversial decision overshadows Oscar Piastri's maiden victory

Tension at McLaren could be bubbling after a controversial decision likely cost driver Lando Norris a win at the Hungarian Grand Prix.

With two laps remaining in the race, McLaren ordered Norris to surrender the lead and let teammate Oscar Piastri pass. After some bickering with race engineer Will Joseph, Norris obliged. Piastri would hold on to the lead for his maiden victory.

Norris was clearly fuming after the race. In a clip shared on Formula One's X account, Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton complimented the 24-year-old on his pace, but he didn't accept it. He also admitted he almost defied the team order.

"You've got to be selfish in this sport at times," Norris said, via The Athletic's Luke Smith. "You've got to think of yourself; that's priority number one, think of yourself. I'm also a team player. My mind was going pretty crazy at the time."

Team orders are commonplace in Formula One, but it's unclear why McLaren would take a win away from its No. 1 driver.

Norris is second ( 189 points ) in the drivers' championship behind Red Bull's Max Verstappen (265 points). If he had won the Hungarian Grand Prix, he would trail by 69 points rather than 76.

McLaren may want to build Piastri's confidence. The team is second in the constructors' championship behind Red Bull and needs the 23-year-old to establish himself as a dependable No. 2 driver to catch up.

"The way to win a championship is not by yourself," Joseph told Norris during the race, per ESPN's Nate Saunders. "You're going to need Oscar, and you're going to need the team."

Still, McLaren's plans may backfire. The decision could sour its relationship with Norris and create some friction. Mercedes boss Toto Wolff told Autosport he's always had a straightforward procedure for team orders. McLaren should consider taking a cue from Wolff to avoid upsetting one of its drivers again.