Norris: Some things had to be clarified after Monza

Speaking to reporters in Baku, Norris insisted that the reasoning behind McLaren’s decision was not just linked to his slow pit stop but also to Ferrari’s strategy: “Some things had to be clarified. There were certain details at the time that I didn’t know about, like things related to Leclerc’s undercut, which played a part in the reasoning behind the team’s decision.

"It wasn’t just the pit stop itself that decided it, there were other factors too. So yes, clarification was needed, but nothing changed from the fact that afterwards we both agreed with it and accepted it. That’s what we agreed on as a team.”

Norris emphasised that McLaren has rarely had to intervene between its drivers: “Honestly, there’s been a lot less of that than people think. This was one of the first situations in quite a long time. Like I said, it wasn’t just because I had a slow pit stop.

"The reasoning was more about the sequencing of positions, which was similar to Hungary last year, although in a different context. That, combined with the stop, was the basis for the decision. Apart from that, there haven’t been many moments where they’ve had to step in," added the 25-year-old Briton.

On the question of whether he and Piastri remain free to race, Norris was clear: “For 99% of things, yes. What happened last weekend makes people think differently, but if you look at it simply, it was the same as Hungary last year: the driver in the lead has priority in a pit stop sequence. That hasn’t changed.

"As soon as the position was re-established, Oscar was free to race me, and he still had the advantage of being right on my gearbox, so he still gained overall. Otherwise, we’ve always been free to race.”

As for fan reaction, Norris dismissed the noise: “People want to be negative and talk badly about others. You need headlines, you need clicks. It doesn’t affect us as a team. We know what’s fair, we want it to be equal for both of us, and beyond that, people can say whatever they like. We’re happy focusing on ourselves.”

Piastri also reflected on his own progress since early-season mistakes: “I still make mistakes, it’s not that I don’t. But maybe not on the same scale. Like in Saudi Arabia, I crashed, and in China, I lost a lot of points. Now I try to be smarter with risk levels. Sometimes accepting losing half a tenth is better than pushing for half a tenth and ending up losing three tenths with a mistake."

"My risk balance has improved, and I also understand the car a lot better now. Earlier in the year, I was struggling more with it. So it’s a combination of factors, but definitely the result of work behind the scenes," Piastri revealed.

From midfield contenders to championship leaders, Norris credited McLaren’s turnaround to people, not infrastructure: “There are a lot of things I could talk about, but for me, patience has been key. The biggest turnaround has come from mentality and people.

"Yes, we have a new wind tunnel and simulator, but those aren’t the reasons the car is winning now. They maybe play a small role. The real difference is the people: the engineers, the mechanics, Andrea, Zak, and the atmosphere they’ve created. Motivation is higher than ever, and once you get that right, everything else follows. It all starts with the people," declared Norris.

After 16 Rounds, Norris trails Piastri in the 2025 Formula 1 standings by 31 points with eight GP weekends remaining. McLaren could wrap up the Constructors’ standings in record time if the pair finish one-two in Baku this Sunday.