Backing Lando: Why McLaren Must Support Norris Amid Dramatic F1 Season and Italian GP Fallout

McLaren Needs to Support Lando Norris, but He Must Step Up Too

An analysis of the key discussions after a thrilling Italian Grand Prix, emphasizing McLaren's hesitation to fully support Lando Norris.

Support for Norris is crucial

McLaren found themselves in the spotlight once more during the Italian Grand Prix, squandering yet another opportunity to clinch a Formula 1 win.

Oscar Piastri executed an impressive race at Monza, making a bold move to pass his McLaren teammate Lando Norris and eventually extending his lead to more than five seconds.

McLaren's careful tactics ended up costing them when they chose a two-stop plan, while Ferrari opted for a single-stop strategy with Charles Leclerc, who eventually secured a victory in his home country.

This marks the fourth lost chance for McLaren to secure a win, following missed opportunities in Canada, Britain, and potentially Belgium, largely due to suboptimal strategy choices.

The more urgent concern for McLaren revolves around Norris' chase for the drivers' championship and deciding if it's the right moment to support him.

With eight races remaining, Norris is trailing Max Verstappen by only 62 points in the drivers' championship. Considering the current performance trends of the two teams, the British driver stands a strong chance of winning the title this year.

McLaren's strong performance, especially when compared to Red Bull's struggles, should encourage the top executives at the Woking-based team 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 proceed in that direction.

Addressing the media at Monza, where Crash.net was in attendance, Stella stated, "We must now recognize that winning not just the constructor's championship is achievable."

"Considering the current performance of our car and the challenges Red Bull is facing, 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 and in optimal condition."

Reflecting on the events of the first lap, Piastri's performance in his side-by-side battle with Norris was flawless and beyond reproach.

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

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

However, considering the chance that Norris could realistically win the world championship this year, it was an unnecessary gamble. The team could have easily managed it with straightforward guidance about behavior after the first few corners of the race.

Nonetheless, Norris is not free from blame for his inadequate defense against Piastri, essentially allowing his teammate an easy pass.

Without question, the team must decide on a course of action starting with the Azerbaijan race. However, Norris must cease providing Piastri with reasons, as he did in Hungary, to disrupt his championship ambitions.

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

Not Just a 'Qualifying Expert'

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

Despite initially expressing concerns about being outpaced by Norris, Leclerc expertly conserved his tyres after the two McLaren cars pitted for their second stops, ultimately securing a heartfelt win.

Historically, Leclerc was frequently criticized as being just a 'qualifying specialist' because of his impressive speed during qualifying sessions on Saturdays, where he often secured pole position, but then failed to maintain that performance during the actual race.

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

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

Historic Decline for Red Bull

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

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

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

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

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

The concerning issue for Red Bull is that McLaren has enhanced their vehicle with a recent upgrade at the Dutch Grand Prix. Additionally, with upcoming races in Azerbaijan and Singapore, which are not anticipated to favor the RB20, Red Bull is likely to face further challenges.

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

This marks the debut appearance of the ex-Ferrari chief with the Hinwil team since his announcement in July.

Binotto is set to lead Audi’s Formula 1 team in the roles of Chief Operating Officer and Chief Technical Officer. He will work alongside Jonathan Wheatley, who will take on the position 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 did not manage to secure a top 10 position in any race throughout 2024, and the Monza event did not bring any improvement for the team.

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

In an interview with Motorsport.com, Binotto expressed, "It's beyond our means. This team needs to evolve into a winning team for the future. To achieve that, we must start advancing and improving. We need to prepare and strengthen ourselves for what's ahead."

"Absolutely, I believe we definitely need to make improvements. It's crucial not only for us but also for the team, the brand, and our partners. We cannot be content with our current situation."

Discover More

Recent Updates

Recent Updates

Site Navigation

Crash.Net

©1999-2024 Crash Media Group

Any form of copying, whether it be the entire text, photographs, or illustrations, is strictly prohibited.