Coulthard Critiques McLaren's Team Order Protocol, Suggests a Fix

Former McLaren driver David Coulthard has criticized the team's approach to team orders, specifically targeting the role of the race engineer. He argues that asking an engineer to tell their driver to move over for a teammate damages the "unbreakable bond" essential for success. Coulthard suggests these strategic decisions should instead be communicated directly by the Team Principal or Sporting Director to preserve the driver-engineer relationship.

Why it matters:

McLaren's 2024 title challenge was defined by its handling of driver equality and team orders, creating significant public and internal pressure. The relationship between a driver and their race engineer is the most direct and critical communication link during a Grand Prix. Undermining that trust with conflicting instructions could lead to hesitation, miscommunication, and a loss of performance when it matters most, potentially costing crucial championship points.

The details:

• Speaking on The Red Flags Podcast, Coulthard stated that "move over, don't race" instructions should not come from the race engineer.
• He argued this responsibility belongs to the Team Principal or Sporting Director.
• Coulthard emphasized the sanctity of the driver-engineer bond: "That bond between the driver and the engineer for me has to be absolute... You're not hiding, you're there shoulder to shoulder."
• He believes the engineer's loyalty should be solely to their driver's success, suggesting an engineer should be able to say, "that's not my job... My job is to get my driver winning."
• The former driver noted that during his own time at McLaren, his race engineer never delivered such a command.

Looking Ahead:

As McLaren heads into the 2025 season as reigning Constructors' Champions, managing its driver dynamic will be even more critical. Coulthard's comments highlight a potential friction point that team leadership, including Andrea Stella, will need to address proactively. Establishing a clear and universally understood protocol for team orders—decided before the season begins—could be key to preventing internal conflict and maintaining their championship-winning momentum.