Oscar Piastri in the press conference at Silverstone

Stella reveals McLaren were planning to reverse Piastri's and Norris' positions

21:15, 08 Jul

byNorberto Mujica

Oscar Piastri was penalised during the ongoings of the British Grand Prix, which brought Lando Norris up to the de facto race leader position, an order which the Aussie driver asked to overturn. McLaren team boss Andrea Stella reveals why the Woking-based team refrained from making the race result-changing decision.

After the race at Silverstone had ended Stella explained to media present including GPblog, that McLaren urges its drivers to be forthcoming regarding any suggestions or doubst during a race. As such, he believes Piastri's request was not outlandish, or off boundaries.

McLaren were planning to switch Piastri around with Norris

"I think what Oscar did is exactly what we incentivized our drivers to do. He communicated, he expressed his opinion, which we evaluated."

"In reality, the way we managed the situation today, given the penalty, was to allow Oscar, despite the penalty, in case of a safety car, to retain the lead, because if there was a safety car, both cars would have pitted, Oscar would've paid the penalty."

"Lando would have waited, and the two McLarens would have gone out in the same order as they came in."

The changing conditions, though, prevented McLaren from taking that strategy alternative.

"But at the point in which we needed to have the transition onto the dry tyres, then the penalty was paid. And at that stage we thought that we should just retain the natural order gained through the penalty."

"So I think this was a fair forethought, and I'm sure that Oscar will understand and agree with this point of view," concluded Stella.