Back Norris Now: McLaren’s Reluctance, Red Bull’s Downfall, and the Italian GP Drama

McLaren Must Support Lando Norris, But He Also Needs to Step Up

An analysis of key discussions after an eventful Italian Grand Prix, highlighting McLaren's hesitance to fully support Lando Norris.

Support for Norris is crucial

At the Italian Grand Prix, McLaren found themselves in the spotlight once more after squandering yet another chance to win a Formula 1 race.

Oscar Piastri delivered an impressive performance at Monza, executing a bold maneuver to pass his McLaren teammate Lando Norris and subsequently establishing a lead of more than five seconds.

McLaren's conservative tactics proved costly when they opted for a two-stop strategy, while Ferrari chose a one-stop strategy with Charles Leclerc, who ended up securing a victory in their home race.

This marks the fourth lost chance for McLaren to secure a victory, following similar situations in Canada, Britain, and potentially Belgium, where improved strategic choices could have led to success.

The primary concern for McLaren at this point is Norris' quest for the drivers' championship and deciding if they should support him at this stage.

With eight races remaining in the season, Norris is trailing Max Verstappen by only 62 points in the drivers' championship. Considering the current performance trends of their respective teams, the British driver has a strong opportunity to clinch this year's title.

McLaren's strong performance, compared to Red Bull's struggles, should encourage the senior leaders at the Woking team to support Norris in his pursuit of this year's world championship.

Following the Monza event, it seems that team leader Andrea Stella is inclined to proceed in that direction.

During a media session at Monza, which Crash.net attended, he stated, "At this point, we must recognize that the constructor's championship is within reach," Stella mentioned.

"Considering the current performance of our car and the challenges Red Bull is facing, achieving success is certainly within reach, even from a driver's perspective."

“To win both championships, we must ensure that both the team and Lando are in the best possible shape.”

Reflecting on the events of the first lap, Piastri should not be faulted for his behavior during his close racing encounter with Norris.

His move on Norris was impressive and bold, and it would have secured him the victory at Monza if he had committed to a one-stop strategy.

Although it provided an opportunity for Leclerc to overtake Norris, Piastri's behavior did not contravene the team's pre-race directives.

Nevertheless, considering that Norris has a real chance of winning the world championship this year, it was an unnecessary gamble. The team could have easily managed this with straightforward guidelines given before the race about behavior through the first few corners.

Nevertheless, Norris himself should also be criticized for his poor defense against Piastri, essentially allowing his teammate to overtake him.

Certainly, the team must decide on a strategy starting from Azerbaijan, but Norris should avoid providing Piastri with opportunities, such as those seen in Hungary, that could jeopardize his championship quest.

Michael Schumacher, Lewis Hamilton, Fernando Alonso, and Verstappen have all shown a fierce competitive edge against their teammates when necessary – now it's Norris's turn to adopt the same approach.

More than just a 'qualifying expert'

Leclerc consistently delivers outstanding performances on race day in 2024, and Monza was no exception.

Although he initially expressed frustration about being outperformed by Norris, Leclerc showcased excellent tyre management once he had a clear track after the two McLaren drivers made their second pit stops. He eventually held on to secure a heartfelt win.

Previously, Leclerc was frequently called a 'quali merchant' or a one-trick pony because of his extraordinary speed during qualifying sessions on Saturdays, where he often secured pole position but then failed to maintain that performance during the race.

Thanks to better balance and a more neutral handling of its tyres this year, Ferrari has allowed Leclerc to demonstrate his exceptional tyre preservation skills on Sundays, placing him among the elite.

Leclerc has shown that he is a versatile driver who will undoubtedly challenge Hamilton significantly in the coming year.

Unseen Decline for Red Bull

Red Bull's struggles persisted during the Italian Grand Prix, where Verstappen managed to secure only a sixth-place finish, trailing Leclerc by more than 35 seconds at the conclusion.

Considering their strong performance at the beginning of the season, where they dominated the initial races, it's perplexing to now see them finishing a race weekend as only the fourth-best team.

A decline in performance of this magnitude has never been seen before.

Brawn GP, like Red Bull today, transitioned from being a leading race winner to a less dominant team, primarily due to financial constraints and limited development.

Red Bull possesses the necessary assets and team members to make improvements.

Red Bull faces concerns as McLaren has enhanced their vehicle with a recent upgrade at the Dutch Grand Prix. Additionally, with upcoming races in Azerbaijan and Singapore that are not anticipated to favor the RB20, Red Bull may encounter further challenges.

New Audi leader witnesses challenges firsthand

New Audi head, Mattia Binotto, attended the Italian Grand Prix this weekend, observing from the Sauber team's garage.

This marks the initial occasion that the ex-Ferrari leader has been spotted engaging with the Hinwil team since his announcement in July.

Binotto is set to lead Audi's Formula 1 team as both the Chief Operating Officer and Chief Technical Officer, working alongside Jonathan Wheatley, who will take on the role of team principal once he transitions from Red Bull.

The Italian faces a daunting challenge with Sauber currently at the bottom of the constructors’ championship standings.

Sauber has not secured any top 10 placements in 2024, and their performance at Monza did not improve their record.

Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu occupied the last row of the starting grid and were clearly the slowest team during the race.

Binotto explained to Motorsport.com, "It's not something we can allow ourselves. Our team needs to evolve into a victorious one in the future. To achieve that, we have to start advancing and making progress. We must prepare ourselves for what's ahead."

"Absolutely, I believe we definitely need to get better. It's crucial for us, for the team, for the brand, and for our partners. We can't just settle for where we are right now."

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