### “Backing Lando Norris: McLaren’s Strategy Woes and the Path to a World Championship

It's crucial for McLaren to support Lando Norris – though he must also elevate his own performance

Examining the key issues after an eventful Italian Grand Prix, with an emphasis on McLaren's hesitance to fully endorse Lando Norris

It's time to support Norris

McLaren found themselves in the spotlight once more at the Italian Grand Prix, squandering yet another Formula 1 race win.

Oscar Piastri delivered an impressive 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's Charles Leclerc succeeded with just one stop, ultimately securing a victory in front of the home crowd.

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

The more urgent concern for McLaren is whether they should now support Norris in his quest for the drivers' championship.

Norris is trailing Max Verstappen by only 62 points in the drivers’ championship with eight races remaining. Considering the current performance trends of their respective teams, the British driver stands a strong chance of clinching the title this year.

McLaren’s strong performance compared to Red Bull’s struggles should inspire the top executives 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 take that course of action.

During a media briefing at Monza, where Crash.net was in attendance, he stated, "We must now recognize that not only is the constructors' championship within reach," Stella remarked.

"Given the current capabilities of our car and the challenges Red Bull is experiencing, it is certainly achievable from a driver's perspective."

"In order to aim for both championships, we must ensure that the team and Lando are well-prepared."

Reflecting on the first lap, Piastri's actions during his close battle with Norris should not be faulted.

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

Although Piastri's actions allowed Leclerc to overtake Norris, he did not go against the team's pre-race guidelines.

Nevertheless, considering Norris has a real chance of winning the world championship this year, it was an unnecessary gamble. The team could have easily managed the situation with straightforward pre-race guidelines about behavior after the initial corners.

Nonetheless, Norris deserves some criticism for his lackluster defense against Piastri, as he essentially made it easy for his teammate to overtake him.

Certainly, the team must come to a decision starting from the Azerbaijan race, but Norris should refrain from providing Piastri with reasons to disrupt his championship quest, as seen in Hungary.

Michael Schumacher, Lewis Hamilton, Fernando Alonso, and Verstappen have all shown a relentless approach towards their teammates when necessary – Norris should now adopt a similar attitude.

More than just a ‘qualifying specialist’

Leclerc has been delivering impressive performances on race days in 2024, and Monza was no exception.

Despite his initial complaints about being outperformed by Norris, Leclerc skillfully managed his tires after gaining some clear space when both McLarens pitted for their second stops, ultimately securing an emotional win.

Previously, Leclerc was frequently known as a 'qualifying specialist' or someone with only one skill because of his exceptional speed during Saturday's qualifying sessions, where he often secured pole position but then lost ground during the actual race.

This year's Ferrari has improved its balance and neutrality in tire handling, allowing Leclerc to demonstrate his top-tier tire management skills during Sunday races.

Leclerc has proven himself to be a versatile driver who is sure to challenge Hamilton significantly in the upcoming year.

Red Bull's struggles persisted at the Italian Grand Prix, as Verstappen ended up in sixth place, trailing Leclerc by more than 35 seconds.

Considering how they began the season by dominating the first few races, it's surprising to see them now leaving a race weekend as the fourth-best team.

Never before has there been such a decline in performance.

Brawn GP transitioned from being dominant race victors to a position similar to Red Bull's current standing, primarily due to financial constraints and limited development.

Red Bull possesses all the necessary assets and team members to improve their situation.

The concerning issue for Red Bull is that McLaren has enhanced their vehicle with the latest upgrade at the Dutch Grand Prix. Additionally, upcoming tracks like Azerbaijan and Singapore, which are not anticipated to favor the RB20, may cause further difficulties.

New Audi CEO Mattia Binotto witnessed the challenges firsthand in the Sauber garage during this weekend’s Italian Grand Prix.

This marks the initial occasion that we have observed the ex-Ferrari chief 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. He will work alongside Jonathan Wheatley, who will take on the role of team principal once he transitions from Red Bull.

The Italian faces a huge challenge as Sauber is currently at the bottom of the constructors’ championship standings.

Sauber hasn't managed to secure a top 10 finish in 2024, and their performance at Monza didn't bring any improvements.

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

In an interview with Motorsport.com, Binotto stated, "We can't afford that. I believe this team must evolve into a winning team in the future. The only path to achieving this is by making progress and advancing. We need to prepare ourselves for the future."

“Absolutely, I believe we must make improvements. This is crucial for us individually, for the team as a whole, for our brand, and for our partners. We cannot be satisfied with where we currently stand.”

Explore Further

Recent Updates

Recent Updates

Website Map

Crash.Net

©1999-2024 Crash Media Group

It is prohibited to reproduce text, photos, or illustrations, either in full or in part, in any manner.