Backing Norris: McLaren’s Crossroads and the Italian Grand Prix Fallout

It's crucial for McLaren to support Lando Norris, but he also has to step up his game. An analysis of the key discussions emerging from an eventful Italian Grand Prix highlights McLaren's hesitation to fully endorse Lando Norris.

Support Norris Now

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

Oscar Piastri delivered an outstanding 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 strategy proved costly as they opted for two pit stops, while Ferrari, with Charles Leclerc, chose a single-stop strategy and secured a victory in their home race.

This marks the fourth instance, following races in Canada, Britain, and potentially Belgium, where McLaren could have secured a win if their strategy choices had been more effective.

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 has a strong opportunity to win the title this year.

McLaren's strong performance, especially compared to Red Bull's struggles, should encourage 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 such action.

During a press conference at Monza attended by Crash.net, he stated, "We must now recognize that winning the constructors' championship is achievable," Stella mentioned.

"Given the current performance of our car and the issues Red Bull is facing, 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 shape."

Reflecting on the events of the first lap, Piastri's actions in his close racing with Norris were entirely justified and beyond reproach.

His move on Norris was impressive and assertive. It could have secured him the victory at Monza if he had committed to a one-stop strategy.

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

Considering the chance that Norris could genuinely win the world championship this year, it was an unnecessary gamble. The team could have managed it easily with straightforward pre-race guidance on behavior past the initial corners.

Nonetheless, Norris also deserves criticism for his poor defense against Piastri, essentially allowing his teammate to overtake him.

Clearly, the team must reach a decision starting with the Azerbaijan race, but Norris must refrain from providing Piastri with reasons to disrupt his quest for the championship, as happened in Hungary.

Michael Schumacher, Lewis Hamilton, Fernando Alonso, and Max Verstappen have all shown a relentless attitude towards their teammates when necessary – now it's time for Lando Norris to adopt the same approach.

Exceeding Expectations Beyond Qualifying

Leclerc has consistently delivered outstanding performances on race days in 2024, and the Monza event was no exception.

Despite his initial complaints about Norris undermining him, once both McLarens pitted for their second stops, Leclerc expertly managed his tires in the clear air and secured an emotional win.

Previously, people frequently called Leclerc a 'quali merchant' or 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 actual race.

Thanks to the improved balance and neutral handling of this year's Ferrari, Leclerc has demonstrated his exceptional skill in managing tyres on race days, proving himself to be among the elite in this aspect.

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

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

Considering their strong start to the season, where they controlled the first few races, it's puzzling to see them now finishing a race weekend as only the fourth-best team.

A decline in performance like this has never been seen before.

Brawn GP, who once dominated races, eventually found themselves in a position similar to Red Bull's current standing, primarily due to insufficient funds and stalled development.

Red Bull possesses all the necessary assets and team members to make a comeback.

The concerning development for Red Bull is that McLaren has enhanced their vehicle with a recent upgrade at the Dutch Grand Prix. As tracks like Azerbaijan and Singapore, which are anticipated to be less favorable for the RB20, approach, Red Bull is likely to face further challenges.

New Audi leader witnesses challenges firsthand

New Audi head Mattia Binotto attended the Sauber garage during this weekend's Italian Grand Prix.

This is our initial sighting of the ex-Ferrari chief engaging with the Hinwil team since 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 work alongside Jonathan Wheatley, who will become the 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 position at all in 2024, and their performance at Monza was no exception.

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

In an interview with Motorsport.com, Binotto stated, "We don't have the luxury of that. Our team needs to transform into a victorious one in the future. The pathway to achieving this is by advancing and making progress. We must strengthen ourselves for what lies ahead."

"Absolutely, I believe we must make improvements. It's crucial for us individually, for the team as a whole, for our brand, and for our partners. We can't be satisfied with where we are right now."

Explore Further

Current Updates

Current Updates

Website Index

Crash.Net

©1999-2024 Crash Media Group

No part of the text, images, or artwork may be copied or reproduced in any manner.