What people in the F1 paddock are now saying about McLaren after their Monza team orders

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McLaren continue to get themselves into predicaments that may end up costing them one if not both championships.

Andrea Stella and Zak Brown have done a fantastic job leading McLaren from fighting towards the back of the grid to regularly being the favourites to win races in the space of 18 months.

However, small mistakes and confusing decision-making at times may end up being their downfall during a rare fallow period for Red Bull.

Max Verstappen is finally starting to sympathise with the struggles Sergio Perez has suffered throughout the year and aside from the Mexican’s poor final stint during the Italian Grand Prix, they were very closely matched.

Once again, McLaren dropped points they will feel they shouldn’t have done and in particular, they may be hampering Lando Norris’s chances of catching the struggling Dutchman.

READ MORE: McLaren driver Lando Norris’ life outside F1 from height and parents to celebration

Oscar Piastri’s bold move on the first lap was incredibly impressive but in the context of the entire season may not have been particularly beneficial.

Writing in his column for Mundo Deportivo, journalist Fabio Marchi was speaking about how McLaren are now viewed in the Formula 1 paddock.

It’s easy for other teams to tell McLaren what they should and shouldn’t be doing when they’re not under pressure to win their first Constructors’ Championship this century.

However, McLaren’s lack of experience at this level is beginning to show and there’s an argument they’ve not been brutal enough when it comes to telling Piastri that it’s time to support for the final third of the season.

How the Formula 1 paddock sees McLaren after the Italian Grand Prix

Talking about the race at Monza, Marchi said: “The other inexplicable mistake they made was that, with the race already decided, they didn’t ask Piastri to swap positions with Norris.

“That would have meant a few more points for Lando. But they didn’t do it.

READ MORE: Everything you need to know about McLaren F1 Team from team principal to engine

“Some in the paddock think that McLaren does not want to benefit Lando so as not to harm Piastri. But in this way, both are harmed.

“It seems unbelievable that teams of McLaren’s stature have to be reminded that the team is always above any driver.

“McLaren forgets that it has the upper hand. It has the best car and will probably have it in 2025 as well. A championship car. If Piastri does not like a decision, any driver on the grid will be happy to drive it.”

David Coulthard’s Mark Webber theory relating to Oscar Piastri

Interestingly, some in the F1 paddock believe that McLaren feel like they need to appease Piastri this season.

The Australian is undoubtedly an exceptional driver and Davide Valsecchi thinks Piastri is a future world champion.

McLaren have both drivers tied down to long-term deals but the Piranha Club is vicious and after poaching Piastri from Alpine, they may be worried about a rival coming in and doing the same thing.

READ MORE: McLaren driver Oscar Piastri’s life outside F1 from height to girlfriend

Verstappen is constantly linked to Mercedes and even though a move won’t happen in 2025, Toto Wolff might be aiming for a move further down the line.

Helmut Marko is a huge fan of Piastri and if they lose Verstappen, they may eye a move for the 23-year-old if McLaren end up backing Norris over him.

Not only that, but David Coulthard has a theory that Mark Webber might have been talking to Piastri about his role at McLaren as his manager.

Webber was famously a number two driver at Red Bull and won’t want to see his protégé fulfilling the same role.