Backing Lando Norris: McLaren’s Strategic Dilemma Amidst Italian Grand Prix Drama and Red Bull’s Downfall

McLaren should support Lando Norris more, but he also needs to step up

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

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McLaren found themselves in the spotlight again at the Italian Grand Prix, squandering yet another chance at an F1 grand prix win.

Oscar Piastri delivered an excellent performance at Monza, executing a bold pass on his McLaren teammate Lando Norris and then extending his lead to more than five seconds.

McLaren's conservative strategy proved costly as they opted for two pit stops, while Ferrari and Charles Leclerc chose a single stop, leading to a victory in their home race.

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

A more urgent matter for McLaren is Norris' quest for the drivers' championship and deciding if the team should support him at this point.

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

McLaren's strong performance, compared to Red Bull's struggles, should inspire the top executives in Woking to support Norris in his bid for this year's world championship.

Following the Monza event, it seems that team leader Andrea Stella is inclined to take that action.

During a press briefing at Monza, where Crash.net was in attendance, he stated, "We must now recognize that winning the constructor's championship is within reach," Stella remarked.

"Considering the performance our car currently has and the difficulties Red Bull is experiencing, it's certainly achievable from a driver's perspective."

"In order to aim for both championships, we must ensure that the team and Lando are in the best possible position to compete."

Reflecting on the first lap, Piastri's actions during his close racing with Norris were entirely justifiable and should not be criticized.

His move on Norris was impressive and assertive, and it would have secured him the victory at Monza if he had followed a single-stop strategy.

Although Piastri's move allowed Leclerc to overtake Norris, it did not violate the team's pre-race directives.

Nonetheless, considering the chance that Norris could realistically clinch the world championship this year, it was an unnecessary gamble. The team could have easily managed this by giving clear pre-race guidelines on behavior after the initial series of turns.

Nonetheless, Norris cannot be exempt from criticism as his poor defense against Piastri allowed his teammate to easily overtake him.

Clearly, the team must make a choice starting from the Azerbaijan race, but Norris has to quit providing Piastri with reasons (as he did in Hungary) to disrupt his quest for the championship.

Michael Schumacher, Lewis Hamilton, Fernando Alonso, and Verstappen all showed no mercy towards their teammates when necessary. Now, it’s Norris’s turn to adopt the same approach.

More than just a 'qualifying expert'

Leclerc keeps delivering impressive performances on race days in 2024, with Monza being another example.

Although he initially expressed frustration about being outpaced by Norris, Leclerc expertly managed his tyres after the two McLaren cars pitted for their second stops. This allowed him to hold on and secure an emotional win.

Previously, Leclerc frequently earned the nickname ‘quali merchant’ or was seen as a one-trick pony because of his incredible speed during qualifying sessions on Saturdays, where he often secured pole position but then struggled to maintain that performance during the main race.

This year's Ferrari car has a more balanced and neutral approach to handling its tyres. As a result, Leclerc has demonstrated that on Sundays, when tyre management is crucial, he ranks among the top drivers.

Leclerc has proven himself to be a versatile driver and is expected to pose a significant challenge to Hamilton in the upcoming year.

Red Bull's struggles persist

At the Italian Grand Prix, Red Bull faced ongoing challenges as Verstappen ended up in sixth place, trailing Leclerc by more than 35 seconds.

Considering their strong start to the season, where they excelled in the initial races, it's surprising to see them now finishing a race weekend as the fourth-best team.

This level of decline in performance has never been seen before.

Brawn GP's transition from leading race victors to a situation akin to Red Bull's current status was primarily due to insufficient funds and limited advancements.

Red Bull possesses the necessary resources and staff to make improvements.

A concerning issue for Red Bull is that McLaren has enhanced their vehicle with a recent upgrade at the Dutch Grand Prix. With upcoming tracks such as Azerbaijan and Singapore, which are anticipated to be unfavorable for the RB20, Red Bull is likely to face further challenges.

New Audi CEO witnesses challenges in real-time

This weekend, at the Italian Grand Prix, new Audi leader Mattia Binotto was spotted in the Sauber team’s garage.

This marks the initial appearance of the ex-Ferrari chief participating with the Hinwil team following his announcement in July.

Binotto is set to lead Audi's Formula 1 team, taking on the roles of Chief Operating Officer and Chief Technical Officer. He will be joined by Jonathan Wheatley, who will become the team principal after transitioning from Red Bull.

The Italian faces a colossal challenge as Sauber currently sits at the bottom of the constructors' championship standings.

Sauber has not secured a top 10 position throughout the 2024 season, and their performance at Monza did not improve their record.

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

In a conversation with Motorsport.com, Binotto expressed that they can't afford any setbacks. He emphasized that the team needs to evolve into a winning team in the future. According to him, the path to achieving this is by making consistent progress and preparing for future challenges.

"Absolutely, we definitely need to make improvements. It's crucial for our own sake, for the team's success, for our brand's reputation, and for our partners. We simply can't be satisfied with where we currently stand."

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