Oscar Piastri secured his inaugural career victory in Hungary, leaving Lando Norris to settle for second place.
Ted Kravitz has speculated that Lando Norris may have been out to prove that he is “not too nice” to become F1 World Champion by threatening to ignore McLaren team orders at the Hungarian Grand Prix.
Polesitter Norris lost the lead to team-mate Oscar Piastri at the start of the Budapest race, but was catapulted ahead of the Australian after McLaren opted to service his car first during the final round of pit stops.
Ted Kravitz questions Lando Norris motive in McLaren team orders row
This tense situation emerged when Norris disregarded the team’s pleas over the radio to switch positions with Piastri, thereby creating an intense scenario.
Norris eventually yielded to the team’s request and decelerated to allow Piastri to overtake in the final laps, causing the latter’s first F1 win to be overshadowed by the controversy.
After securing his first career victory in Miami in early May, Norris reiterated his original plan to pass the lead back to Piastri.
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The British driver has frequently faced criticism for not possessing the necessary ruthlessness to secure consistent wins in F1. Throughout the history of the sport, renowned Champions like Michael Schumacher, Ayrton Senna, and Sebastian Vettel have been celebrated for their unwavering determination.
Kravitz discussed Norris’s decision to not exchange positions with Piastri after the race. He speculated about Norris’s motive and proposed that the British driver might have been attempting to challenge the perception of him being excessively kind.
Kravitz, who appeared on Sky F1’s post-race coverage, questioned the purpose behind Lando’s intention.
“Did I hear correctly that the car’s performance was lacking at the beginning, leading Oscar to be in the position he was initially, which consequently forced me to step back and allow Oscar to overtake me?”
As Lando Norris, do I not receive any recognition for securing pole position? Shouldn’t this be accounted for in my accomplishments? Moreover, am I not the one actively pursuing Max Verstappen in the Drivers’ Championship?
“Regardless of who came in first or second, the McLaren team would have received the same number of points.”
“And then there is the inexplicable – and maybe even the unutterable – [question], which I might still dare to express.”
Lando pondered, “Must I demonstrate that I possess the qualities of a determined champion who will go to any extent to win? Should I establish myself as a force to be reckoned with, akin to Verstappen, Vettel, Schumacher, or [Lewis] Hamilton? Do I need to show that I am not too kind-hearted to become a world champion in that manner?”
“One for you to think about.”
Norris, addressing journalists prior to the Budapest race, made it clear that he is not concerned about others’ opinions and has no intention of behaving foolishly just to prove his ruthlessness.
He expressed his indifference towards people’s opinions, stating, “I disregard whatever others may say.”
“I make it a point to be a respectful and kind individual, but it is important to note that these qualities have no impact on my performance on the track.”
Nowadays, things have changed drastically compared to 10, 15, and 20 years ago, despite individuals’ inclination to express their own ideas and engage in discussions.
I have the ability to be more unpleasant and behave foolishly if I choose to, adopting a persona that portrays me as ruthless. However, I have no need or desire to do so.
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