What McLaren admits it got wrong in Hungary – and what it has done about it

The right decision from the Formula 1 team pitwall but executed in the wrong way.

That is perhaps the most popular perception of McLaren’s team orders controversy from the Hungarian Grand Prix.

While the strategic motivations to protect both Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris from other cars were clear when you dug into the data, equally there was a sense that the scenario that played out was one that put both its drivers in an unfair position.

Norris was left having to battle conflicting emotions about giving up a certain win, and in the end regretted how he handled things, while Piastri was left ruing how his day of glory was overshadowed by something totally out of his control.

From the moment the chequered flag fell at the Hungaroring, McLaren was adamant that the strategic motivation behind handing Norris the undercut that gave him the lead was the right one.

Concerned about the potential to be undercut by third placed Lewis Hamilton, and mindful about the threat that Max Verstappen could pose to both its drivers later in the race, it was the correct thing to pit its cars when it did.

But, reflecting openly on what the team’s conclusions were from how it played out, team boss Andrea Stella admitted there were some elements it did not get right.

Chief among them, he suggests, was in triggering a situation that it had not planned for – and therefore did not have a plan of attack agreed with the drivers.

“I think one point that we definitely take on board is that we should have prepared the situation better before the race,” he said.

“You never find yourself preparing the flight plan as you fly. Okay? I think, that’s a golden rule in any kind of challenging situation.”

Stella suggests that the team should have done a better job in coming up with the exact scenario that happened – because then it could have agreed an action plan with Norris and Piastri that would have avoided the drama.

“This is a responsibility of the team. It’s my responsibility,” added Stella. “I think we entered the race having planned many, many things. But this one actually was left undiscussed, let’s say. So, this is definitely something we take on board as a team.

“We already had a few meetings together with the drivers,…