Is there something that we are missing about Monza where Lando was given first choice on how and when to box and furthermore guaranteed that Piastri would not undercut him?
Not sure about this: "Mclaren insisted that he stay out." Of you listen the team radio from that race between Tom Stallard and Piastri Tom offered some options to Oscar and he finally choose the one applied. After the race he admitted that was a mistake. So not to put this on Tom shoulders cause was drivers choice.AR3-GP wrote: ↑23 Oct 2025, 05:32Is there something that we are missing about Monza where Lando was given first choice on how and when to box and furthermore guaranteed that Piastri would not undercut him?
I didn't understand the strategy in Austria either where it made more sense for Piastri to box right away and try to stay with the DRS. Mclaren insisted that he stay out.
I have often gotten the feeling that the Mclaren drivers are not competing against one another in an organic way. Now that Piastri is struggling, it's in his interest to focus solely on beating Lando but based on what we have seen this year, I don't think he would be empowered to do it. If Monza is an example, then we know he would not be able to undercut Lando.
Piastri told the team on lap 18 that the rear tires were struggling (on a rear limited track). Lando pits for fresh tires and undercut pace on lap 20. Instead of bringing Piastri in on the next lap, Stallard and Mclaren already decided to make Piastri stay out for 2 laps to "see his best pace". This is despite Piastri reminding them team that his tires were finished! Oscar is never given the option to put the lap after Lando Norris. TS simply tells Piastri to push, despite Piastri telling him 2 laps prior that the rear tires were struggling and replying on lap 20 that he also has a flat spot on the front. Instead of boxing him, he was given the silent treatment for 2 laps while Lando Norris was driving 1 second a lap quicker.SilviuAgo wrote: ↑23 Oct 2025, 06:45Not sure about this: "Mclaren insisted that he stay out." Of you listen the team radio from that race between Tom Stallard and Piastri Tom offered some options to Oscar and he finally choose the one applied. After the race he admitted that was a mistake. So not to put this on Tom shoulders cause was drivers choice.
Lap: 20/70 NOR: 1’13.982, PIA: 1’10.951Stallard: Oscar, how’s the tyre?
Piastri: Rears are struggling, fronts okay
Stallard: Copy.
Lap: 21/70 NOR: 1’27.815, PIA: 1’10.624Stallard: This is lap 20.
Piastri locks up at turn four as he has a look at the inside of Norris
Stallard: Exit turn eight Okay Lando is pitting this lap, let’s see your pace in free air now, see what we can do.
Lap: 22/70 NOR: 1’09.921, PIA: 1’10.938Stallard: Oscar we’re looking at best pace to target lap.
Piastri: Yeah, okay, I have a flat spot.
Stallard: Understood, let’s see how the pace is.
Stallard: Flat spot in data looks okay to continue, let me know.
Piastri: Exit turn eight
It’s not pleasant, but it’s okay.
Stallard: Oscar, question, better to be four seconds behind Lando with more delta or one and a half behind?

This is oxymoronic.
They ask him.if thats ok, he says he's OK to continue.AR3-GP wrote: ↑23 Oct 2025, 07:47Piastri told the team on lap 18 that the rear tires were struggling (on a rear limited track). Lando pits for fresh tires and undercut pace on lap 20. Instead of bringing Piastri in on the next lap, Stallard and Mclaren already decided to make Piastri stay out for 2 laps to "see his best pace". This is despite Piastri reminding them team that his tires were finished! Oscar is never given the option to put the lap after Lando Norris. TS simply tells Piastri to push, despite Piastri telling him 2 laps prior that the rear tires were struggling and replying on lap 20 that he also has a flat spot on the front. Instead of boxing him, he was given the silent treatment for 2 laps while Lando Norris was driving 1 second a lap quicker.SilviuAgo wrote: ↑23 Oct 2025, 06:45Not sure about this: "Mclaren insisted that he stay out." Of you listen the team radio from that race between Tom Stallard and Piastri Tom offered some options to Oscar and he finally choose the one applied. After the race he admitted that was a mistake. So not to put this on Tom shoulders cause was drivers choice.![]()
Stallard didn't ask Oscar about any strategy or pitting until lap 22 when it was far too late. They left him out to fail for 4 laps. Oscar was then asked if he prefered to be 4 seconds back with tire offset, or 1.5 with less tire offset. He already knows he has been screwed. He picked the greater tire offset. When the stops were done, he was 6.5 seconds behind Lando Norris, not 4 seconds as Stallard forecasted...
https://www.racefans.net/2025/07/01/i-n ... gp-battle/
Lap: 18/70 NOR: 1’10.789, PIA: 1’10.709Lap: 20/70 NOR: 1’13.982, PIA: 1’10.951Stallard: Oscar, how’s the tyre?
Piastri: Rears are struggling, fronts okay
Stallard: Copy.Lap: 21/70 NOR: 1’27.815, PIA: 1’10.624Stallard: This is lap 20.
Piastri locks up at turn four as he has a look at the inside of Norris
Stallard: Exit turn eight Okay Lando is pitting this lap, let’s see your pace in free air now, see what we can do.Lap: 22/70 NOR: 1’09.921, PIA: 1’10.938Stallard: Oscar we’re looking at best pace to target lap.
Piastri: Yeah, okay, I have a flat spot.
Stallard: Understood, let’s see how the pace is.
Stallard: Flat spot in data looks okay to continue, let me know.
Piastri: Exit turn eight
It’s not pleasant, but it’s okay.Stallard: Oscar, question, better to be four seconds behind Lando with more delta or one and a half behind?
https://i.postimg.cc/Fsp1t2jK/image.png
It got Lando ahead in Hungary. Oscar committed to stop twice, Lando chose to stay out.
I'm saying that if the pitwall had Piastri's best interest in mind, they wouldn't have left him out. They had all the information. Piastri's rear tires were struggling. He also flat spotted the fronts. He was losing 1 second a lap. The gap was going to be more than the 4 seconds that he was forecasted. How did Mclaren miss so many signs that this was a disaster strategy?mwillems wrote: ↑23 Oct 2025, 07:58They ask him.if thats ok, he says he's OK to continue.AR3-GP wrote: ↑23 Oct 2025, 07:47Piastri told the team on lap 18 that the rear tires were struggling (on a rear limited track). Lando pits for fresh tires and undercut pace on lap 20. Instead of bringing Piastri in on the next lap, Stallard and Mclaren already decided to make Piastri stay out for 2 laps to "see his best pace". This is despite Piastri reminding them team that his tires were finished! Oscar is never given the option to put the lap after Lando Norris. TS simply tells Piastri to push, despite Piastri telling him 2 laps prior that the rear tires were struggling and replying on lap 20 that he also has a flat spot on the front. Instead of boxing him, he was given the silent treatment for 2 laps while Lando Norris was driving 1 second a lap quicker.SilviuAgo wrote: ↑23 Oct 2025, 06:45Not sure about this: "Mclaren insisted that he stay out." Of you listen the team radio from that race between Tom Stallard and Piastri Tom offered some options to Oscar and he finally choose the one applied. After the race he admitted that was a mistake. So not to put this on Tom shoulders cause was drivers choice.![]()
Stallard didn't ask Oscar about any strategy or pitting until lap 22 when it was far too late. They left him out to fail for 4 laps. Oscar was then asked if he prefered to be 4 seconds back with tire offset, or 1.5 with less tire offset. He already knows he has been screwed. He picked the greater tire offset. When the stops were done, he was 6.5 seconds behind Lando Norris, not 4 seconds as Stallard forecasted...
https://www.racefans.net/2025/07/01/i-n ... gp-battle/
Lap: 18/70 NOR: 1’10.789, PIA: 1’10.709Lap: 20/70 NOR: 1’13.982, PIA: 1’10.951Stallard: Oscar, how’s the tyre?
Piastri: Rears are struggling, fronts okay
Stallard: Copy.Lap: 21/70 NOR: 1’27.815, PIA: 1’10.624Stallard: This is lap 20.
Piastri locks up at turn four as he has a look at the inside of Norris
Stallard: Exit turn eight Okay Lando is pitting this lap, let’s see your pace in free air now, see what we can do.Lap: 22/70 NOR: 1’09.921, PIA: 1’10.938Stallard: Oscar we’re looking at best pace to target lap.
Piastri: Yeah, okay, I have a flat spot.
Stallard: Understood, let’s see how the pace is.
Stallard: Flat spot in data looks okay to continue, let me know.
Piastri: Exit turn eight
It’s not pleasant, but it’s okay.Stallard: Oscar, question, better to be four seconds behind Lando with more delta or one and a half behind?
https://i.postimg.cc/Fsp1t2jK/image.png
Are you suggesting that if he'd said no, I want to pit now, that they'd override him?
I think you're choosing an assumption. It would sound like he wasnt pushing fully and they wanted to assess.AR3-GP wrote: ↑23 Oct 2025, 08:01I'm saying that if the pitwall had Piastri's best interest in mind, they wouldn't have left him out. They had all the information. Piastri's rear tires were struggling. He also flat spotted the fronts. He was losing 1 second a lap. The gap was going to be more than the 4 seconds that he was forecasted. How did Mclaren miss so many signs that this was a disaster strategy?mwillems wrote: ↑23 Oct 2025, 07:58They ask him.if thats ok, he says he's OK to continue.AR3-GP wrote: ↑23 Oct 2025, 07:47
Piastri told the team on lap 18 that the rear tires were struggling (on a rear limited track). Lando pits for fresh tires and undercut pace on lap 20. Instead of bringing Piastri in on the next lap, Stallard and Mclaren already decided to make Piastri stay out for 2 laps to "see his best pace". This is despite Piastri reminding them team that his tires were finished! Oscar is never given the option to put the lap after Lando Norris. TS simply tells Piastri to push, despite Piastri telling him 2 laps prior that the rear tires were struggling and replying on lap 20 that he also has a flat spot on the front. Instead of boxing him, he was given the silent treatment for 2 laps while Lando Norris was driving 1 second a lap quicker.![]()
Stallard didn't ask Oscar about any strategy or pitting until lap 22 when it was far too late. They left him out to fail for 4 laps. Oscar was then asked if he prefered to be 4 seconds back with tire offset, or 1.5 with less tire offset. He already knows he has been screwed. He picked the greater tire offset. When the stops were done, he was 6.5 seconds behind Lando Norris, not 4 seconds as Stallard forecasted...
https://www.racefans.net/2025/07/01/i-n ... gp-battle/
Lap: 18/70 NOR: 1’10.789, PIA: 1’10.709
Lap: 20/70 NOR: 1’13.982, PIA: 1’10.951
Lap: 21/70 NOR: 1’27.815, PIA: 1’10.624
Lap: 22/70 NOR: 1’09.921, PIA: 1’10.938
https://i.postimg.cc/Fsp1t2jK/image.png
Are you suggesting that if he'd said no, I want to pit now, that they'd override him?
Oscar did not commit to stopping twice. If you'll recall, he asked specifically to cover Lando.
https://www.sportbible.com/f1/oscar-pia ... 3-20250804Stallard said: "Leclerc is going to be four or five seconds ahead of our pit window. We suggest box this lap."
"I don't really care about Leclerc," Piastri replied. "I just want the best chance to try and beat Lando. That's the most important thing at the moment."
When the first communication from the team after Lando Norris boxed was "push, lets see your pace", driver hints at his finished tires, and then team still waited 2 more laps while he bled out 1 second a lap before they asked any question about when to box? He wasn't given a choice. It was made for him.
Oscar made a second stop and Lando chose to stay out. The question you asked was about split strategies.AR3-GP wrote: ↑23 Oct 2025, 08:03Oscar did not commit to stopping twice. If you'll recall, he asked specifically to cover Lando.
https://www.sportbible.com/f1/oscar-pia ... 3-20250804Stallard said: "Leclerc is going to be four or five seconds ahead of our pit window. We suggest box this lap."
"I don't really care about Leclerc," Piastri replied. "I just want the best chance to try and beat Lando. That's the most important thing at the moment."
Oscar had to make a "2nd stop" because Mclaren pitted him too early for a 1 stop simply to chase Leclerc. This is despite Oscar Piastri saying that he doesn't care about Leclerc and to simply cover what Lando does.mwillems wrote: ↑23 Oct 2025, 08:10Oscar made a second stop and Lando chose to stay out. The question you asked was about split strategies.
Oscar stated that the team discussed the strategy options with him both before and during Hungary. He confirmed in media interviews after the race and in discussions at the Dutch Grand Prix that McLaren had checked his preference and kept him involved in the decision-making for the two-stop approach
If he said no, I want to.pit now, and not Im fine to continue, are you contending hed be ignored.AR3-GP wrote: ↑23 Oct 2025, 08:05When the first communication from the team after Lando Norris boxed was "push, lets see your pace", driver hints at his finished tires, and then team still waited 2 more laps while he bled out 1 second a lap before they asked any question about when to box? He wasn't given a choice. It was made for him.