Of course, since he is the only man in the same car, your team mate is always the first one you have to beat. And a few times last year there was great tension, and already twice this the situation has caused misunderstandings.
In Australia many felt McLaren should not have stopped Oscar Piastri’s bold pursuit as he appeared to be closing rapidly on Lando Norris. Every time Lando set a new fastest lap, Oscar would beat it. But just as they seemed about to engage, the order went out under what they call ‘Papaya Rules’: hold positions.
Part of the ensuing misunderstanding arose because what McLaren actually meant – but the world outside couldn’t know – was: stay as you are until you lap the two Haas cars, which were going slowly on a damp track said to have only one line.
And because McLaren thought Norris had tyres left whereas Piastri was wearing his more in his pursuit, partly because of running in his team mate’s dirty air.
Then, last Sunday at Suzuka, Oscar again seemed faster in the closing laps as they vainly pursued Max Verstappen’s leading Red Bull. He radioed a request to be allowed to pass Lando and have a go at the world champion, but was told that while he was within DRS reach of his team mate, Lando was deliberately conserving his rubber for one final big push, hence (to an extent) why Oscar was closing on him.
In that sort of situation Oscar acknowledged that when you have qualified behind your team mate, unless he’s limping on hands and knees, it’s not really on to ask to be allowed to pass. He said as much afterwards.
