**”Backing Norris: McLaren’s Strategic Dilemma Amidst Dramatic Italian GP and F1 Season Shifts”**

McLaren should support Lando Norris, but he must also step up

Analyzing the key issues after an eventful Italian Grand Prix, highlighting McLaren's hesitation to fully support Lando Norris.

Support for Norris is due

McLaren found themselves in the spotlight once more at the Italian Grand Prix, where they squandered yet another opportunity to win an F1 race.

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 tactic proved costly, as they opted for a two-stop plan while Ferrari, with Charles Leclerc, chose a single-stop strategy and ended up clinching victory in their home race.

This marks the fourth missed chance for McLaren, following similar situations in Canada, Britain, and likely Belgium, where improved strategic choices could have easily secured them a victory.

The more urgent concern for McLaren is Norris' quest for the drivers' championship and deciding if they should support him at this point.

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 clinch the title this year.

The strong performance of McLaren compared to the troubles faced by Red Bull should encourage the top executives at McLaren 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 course of action.

Speaking to the press at Monza, with Crash.net in attendance, he stated, "We must now recognize that not only is the constructors' championship within reach," Stella remarked.

"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 to compete."

Reflecting on the first lap, Piastri's conduct during his side-by-side battle with Norris is beyond reproach.

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 actions allowed Leclerc to pass Norris, they did not violate the team's pre-race guidelines.

Yet, considering the chance that Norris might actually clinch the world championship this year, it was an unnecessary gamble. The team could have easily managed it with straightforward pre-race guidelines on behavior after the initial series of turns.

Nonetheless, Norris also deserves some criticism for his poor defense against Piastri, as he essentially allowed his teammate to overtake him.

Without a doubt, the team must make a choice starting from the Azerbaijan race, but Norris must refrain from providing Piastri with any motivation (as seen 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 the situation called for it — now it's Norris's turn to adopt that approach.

More than just a 'qualifying expert'

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

Although he initially expressed frustration about being overtaken by Norris, Leclerc expertly managed his tyres once he had a clear track after both McLaren cars pitted for their second stops. He then held on to secure a poignant win.

In earlier times, Leclerc was frequently dubbed a 'qualifying specialist' or a one-dimensional racer because of his exceptional speed during qualifying sessions, where he often secured pole position, only to lose ground during the actual race.

This year's Ferrari, with its improved balance and more neutral tyre handling, has allowed Leclerc to demonstrate his top-tier skills in tyre management during races on Sundays.

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

Unexpected Decline of Red Bull

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

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

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

Although Brawn GP transitioned from being dominant race winners to a status similar to Red Bull's current position, this shift was primarily due to financial constraints and limited development.

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

The concerning aspect for Red Bull is that McLaren has enhanced their vehicle with a recent upgrade at the Dutch Grand Prix. Moreover, with upcoming tracks such as Azerbaijan and Singapore, which are unlikely to favor the RB20, Red Bull may face further challenges ahead.

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

This marks the initial instance of the ex-Ferrari chief's engagement 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 work alongside Jonathan Wheatley, who will become the team principal after moving from Red Bull.

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

Sauber has not managed to achieve a top 10 finish throughout 2024, and their performance at Monza was no exception.

Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu started from the last row of the grid and were clearly the slowest team during the race.

In an interview with Motorsport.com, Binotto stated, "We don’t have the luxury of time. Our goal is to transform this team into a championship contender. The path to achieving that is through continuous improvement and advancement. We must build our strength and readiness for the challenges 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 simply cannot be satisfied with our current standing."

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