McLaren pit swap costs Piastri as Norris gains at Monza

Oscar Piastri surrendered second place to teammate Lando Norris in the closing laps of the Italian Grand Prix at Monza on September 7 after McLaren instructed a late position swap, a move that cost the championship leader six points and ignited debate over intra-team fairness. The decision followed a slow pit stop for Norris and a near-perfect service for Piastri, and left McLaren navigating criticism from fans and pundits while defending a team-first strategy with eight races remaining.

McLaren pitted Piastri one lap before Norris on Lap 45 to protect him from Charles Leclerc and to keep both cars on softer tyres late in the race. The timing produced an eye-catching contrast in pit-lane performance: Piastri’s stop was recorded at 1.91 seconds, the fastest of the 2025 season, while Norris’s service took 5.87 seconds. When Norris rejoined behind his teammate, the team radioed Piastri to return the position on the main straight, a call he accepted amid visible unease across the paddock.

Piastri said after the race that protecting the team and its staff mattered more than an immediate points swing. We have said many times that we do not want the chance of success just for this...