Max Verstappen let it be known how unimpressed he was with McLaren’s management of their drivers during the Italian Grand Prix.
McLaren pitted drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri in the reverse of their usual sequence at Monza, bringing the lead driver in second. They told both drivers they would preserve the running order, but were caught out by a slow pit stop for Norris.
The team therefore ordered the pair to swap positions. After learning what Red Bull’s rivals had done, Verstappen laughed, remarking: “Just because he had a slow stop?”
How did Verstappen know Norris had lost time in the pits? Although reports elsewhere claim Red Bull said Verstappen was not told about the slow stop, there was a message to him during the race confirming what had happened.
Verstappen appeared to spot footage of one of the McLarens experiencing a slow pit stop on one of the large video screens situated around the circuit. His race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase told him “Piastri has now boxed,” and a lap later Verstappen asked: “Did he have a slow stop?”
“Lando had a slow stop, yeah,” Lambiase told him. “He’s now behind Piastri.”
After the McLaren pair switched positions Lambiase told Verstappen: “Okay Norris and Piastri have swapped places, Max,” leading to the reply which was played on the world television feed.
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Selected messages from Verstappen’s radio at Monza
After Verstappen got ahead of Norris at the first corner when the race started, Red Bull instructed their driver to let his rival past again.
Verstappen no doubt recalled a similar situation earlier this year in Spain when Red Bull told him to let George Russell past, only for the stewards to later rule he did not need to. He double-checked the instruction with the team before letting Norris through:
| Lap: 1/53 VER: 1’27.159 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Verstappen | He let the brakes go, mate, on purpose. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lambiase | Max, let’s give the position back to Lando please. Mode six when you can. He is the car behind… | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Verstappen | Interrupts You guys are sure about this? |
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| Lambiase | Yes. He is the car behind. Verstappen lets Norris pass him approaching Rettifilo |
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After Verstappen’s pit stop Red Bull urged him to keep up his pace to get close enough to Norris that he wouldn’t be at risk if the Safety Car was deployed and Norris was able to pit and emerge ahead of him.
| Lap: 37/53 VER: 1’27.432 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lambiase | Box this lap please Max. Box and pit confirm. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 38/53 VER: 1’42.349 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lambiase | Okay a few laps of Safety Car exposure here to Norris, so let’s get on with it. It’s a 16-lap sprint to the end. Hamilton four seconds behind yet to pit. Happy to push to the end, here Max. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Verstappen | Yep. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lambiase | Leclerc on hard, 22.2. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 39/53 VER: 1’21.402 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Verstappen | The hard tyre appears still good? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lambiase | Yes, hard tyre looks okay Max. Strat 14, strat 14. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 41/53 VER: 1’21.358 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Verstappen | How much am I gaining per lap? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lambiase | One second. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Verstappen | How much do I still need to gain, with the Safety Car? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lambiase | Another eight tenths, Max. Eight tenths. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Red Bull told Verstappen that Norris had a slow pit stop after he and Piastri pitted:
| Lap: 47/53 VER: 1’21.336 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Verstappen | Did he have a slow stop? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lambiase | Lando had a slow stop, yeah. He’s now behind Piastri. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 49/53 VER: 1’21.328 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lambiase | Okay Norris and Piastri have swapped places, Max. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Verstappen | [Laughs] Just because he had a slow stop? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lambiase | It’s not our business, but I guess it keeps it fair between the drivers in terms of championship. And you focus on the road ahead as well, please. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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