Former FIA steward sheds light on what 'prompted the booing' of Norris at Monza

One of the key takeaways from the Monza weekend was undoubtedly the team order McLaren issued to Oscar Piastri in the closing stages of the Italian Grand Prix, which ended up causing some discontent at the finish.

Having left the pits a few seconds slower due to a long stop, Lando Norris had lost his position to his teammate, who emerged ahead with the unexpected chance to extend his lead in the Drivers’ Championship to +37 points.

However, moments later, the pit wall immediately instructed the Australian to give the position back, meaning he lost three points instead of gaining them.

At the end of the race, as he walked across the podium walkway to the iconic Monza podium in front of the Tifosi, Norris was visibly booed by the fans crowded below, an episode widely covered by the media and one that did not go unnoticed by the driver himself.

Speaking to a betting site, former FIA steward Johnny Herbert tried to find a reason behind the boos: "I'm sure there was a little bit of the papaya rules that came into play with McLaren which prompted the booing.''

Unlike the British driver, Max Verstappen was celebrated by the Italian fans, precisely during the weekend when the four-time world champion did not rule out the possibility of driving for Ferrari one day.

"Chanting for Max is totally understandable,'' Herbert added. ''Would the tifosi love to have Max in a Ferrari? I'm sure they and a lot of us would believe he'd probably make that difference."