### “Backing Norris: McLaren’s Strategic Dilemma Amid Italian GP Drama and Red Bull’s Unprecedented Downfall

It’s crucial for McLaren to support Lando Norris, although he must also step up his game

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

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McLaren found themselves in the spotlight once more at the Italian Grand Prix, where they squandered yet another chance at an F1 grand prix win.

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

McLaren's conservative strategy proved costly when they opted for two pit stops, while Ferrari chose a single-stop plan with Charles Leclerc, who ended up winning the race in front of a home crowd.

This marks the fourth instance where McLaren potentially lost a victory—following similar situations in Canada, Britain, and perhaps Belgium—due to suboptimal strategy choices.

The more urgent concern for McLaren is Norris' quest for the drivers' championship and deciding if they should start supporting him now.

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

McLaren's strong performance, especially when compared to Red Bull's struggles, should inspire the senior leaders at the Woking team to support Norris in his quest for this year's world championship.

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

Speaking to the press at Monza, with Crash.net in attendance, he stated: "We must now recognize that winning the constructors' championship is within our reach," Stella mentioned.

"Given our current car performance and the issues that 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 optimal condition to compete."

Reflecting on the first lap, Piastri should not be faulted for his actions during his close-quarters racing 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 Piastri’s maneuver allowed Leclerc to overtake Norris, it was in line with 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 this with a straightforward directive about behavior after the initial corners.

Nonetheless, Norris should also be criticized for his poor defense against Piastri, as he essentially allowed his teammate to overtake him.

Undoubtedly, the team must come to a decision starting from the Azerbaijan race, but Norris should avoid providing Piastri with reasons, as he did in Hungary, to disrupt his championship quest.

F1 champions like Michael Schumacher, Lewis Hamilton, Fernando Alonso, and Max Verstappen didn't hesitate to be tough on their teammates when necessary. Now, Norris must adopt a similar approach.

More than just a 'qualifying expert'

Leclerc keeps delivering impressive performances on race days in 2024, with Monza being no exception.

Despite initially voicing concerns about Norris undermining his performance, Leclerc expertly managed his tires after the two McLaren cars pitted for their second stops. This allowed him to maintain his lead and ultimately secure a heartfelt win.

Previously, Leclerc was frequently dubbed as a 'qualifying specialist' or someone with a singular talent because of his impressive speed during qualifying sessions on Saturdays, where he often secured the pole position, but then failed to maintain that performance during the race.

This year's Ferrari has improved balance and a more neutral approach to managing its tyres, allowing Leclerc to demonstrate his top-tier skills in tyre preservation during Sunday races.

Leclerc has proven himself to be a versatile driver who will undoubtedly pose a significant challenge to Hamilton in the coming year.

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

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

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

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

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

Red Bull's concern is growing as McLaren has enhanced their vehicle with a recent upgrade at the Dutch Grand Prix. 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 challenges firsthand while attending the Italian Grand Prix in the Sauber garage this weekend.

This marks the initial occasion that we've observed the ex-Ferrari chief engaged 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, working 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 hasn't managed to secure a single top 10 finish in 2024, and their performance at Monza was no different.

Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu secured the last positions on the grid, clearly being the least competitive team during the race.

Binotto shared with Motorsport.com that the team can't afford to fall behind. He emphasized that in order to become a winning team in the future, they need to start making progress now. The key to achieving this goal is by continuously improving and preparing for what's ahead.

"Therefore, I believe we definitely need to make improvements. This is crucial not only for us, but also for the team, the brand, and our partners. We can't simply settle for where we are now."

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