Motor racing absence of team orders is just good for the teammates of McLaren

By Alan Baldwin Imola, Italy (Reuters) -Mclaren teammates and the Formula One Championships opponents Lando Norris and Oscar PiaTri were free to chase each other in Sunday’s Emilia -Romagna Grand Prix, and both agreed that it was the right decision. While the Australian PiaTri started on the pole and finished third, Norris took second place after being fourth. When Norris caught second in the closing phase for second place, PiaTri did not make it easy when they went to the wheel, but it was a fair battle. “I was on better tires, but I didn’t expect anything,” Norris agreed. “It was still a difficult battle. It was close to the one. It’s natural as it should be. ‘ I lose time through it, and then he loses time, but that’s what we have to do to fight for a championship. If you try to make someone happy, the other one will be unhappy, so it’s as it is. “I think we handled it well, and it was a good job by the team.” If Max Verstappen’s victory for Red Bull was a surprise, it serves as another reminder of how quickly the tide can turn into Formula One. McLaren has won five of seven races and is comfortable in the standings, but Red Bull, third, has now won twice. McLaren does not have to request after winning the title of the constructors last year after a 2023 season dominated by the Red Bull van Verstappen, but Norris thought it was worth pointing out anyway. “What our biggest power was two weekends ago did not get good enough this weekend, so it shows how quickly things can change,” the Briton said. “I think we’re happily different, it’s still a good team result and that’s the most important thing.” Piactri could have won his fourth win in a row and fifth of the season, but instead hampered his advantage over Norris to 13 points. Monaco next weekend could be a different story, with Australian runner -up last year to Ferrari’s local hero Charles Leclerc and wants to get better. “You’re going to have difficult days in the championship, and it’s clearly one of them,” he said. “As long as we learn the lessons, that’s all I can ask.” “I’ll learn it clearly next time,” he said about the first corner of Verstappen. (Reporting by Alan Baldwin, editing by Toby Davis)