Backing Norris: McLaren’s Strategic Gamble Amid Italian GP Drama and Red Bull’s Unprecedented Fall

McLaren must support Lando Norris, but he must also step up his game

Analyzing key discussions after an eventful Italian Grand Prix, with particular attention on McLaren’s hesitation to fully support Lando Norris

Support for Norris is due

McLaren found themselves in the spotlight once more during the Italian Grand Prix as they squandered yet another chance at an F1 race win.

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

McLaren's careful strategy ended up costing them as they chose to make two pit stops, while Ferrari opted for just one stop with Charles Leclerc, leading to a victory in their home race.

This marks the fourth time McLaren has lost a potential victory due to questionable strategy choices, following similar situations in Canada, Britain, and possibly Belgium.

The more urgent matter for McLaren, however, is Norris's quest for the drivers' championship and whether they should start supporting him now.

With only eight races remaining, Norris is trailing Max Verstappen by just 62 points in the drivers' standings. Considering the current form of both teams, the British driver has a strong opportunity to clinch this year's title.

McLaren's strong performance compared to Red Bull's struggles is likely to inspire the senior management in Woking 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 action.

Speaking to the press at Monza, with Crash.net in attendance, he stated: "We must now recognize that the constructor championship is not only achievable," Stella mentioned.

"From a driver's perspective, given our current car's performance and the challenges Red Bull is facing, it's certainly achievable."

"In order to win both championships, we must ensure that the team and Lando are in the best possible shape to compete."

Reflecting on the events of the first lap, Piastri's actions during his close encounter with Norris were beyond reproach.

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

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

Yet, considering the chance that Norris could genuinely become the world champion this year, it was an unnecessary gamble. The team could have managed it easily with a straightforward pre-race directive about behavior after the initial set of corners.

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

Undoubtedly, the team must decide on their strategy starting from the Azerbaijan race, but Norris has to avoid providing Piastri with opportunities (as seen in Hungary) that could disrupt his championship chase.

Michael Schumacher, Lewis Hamilton, Fernando Alonso, and Max Verstappen have all shown a fierce competitive edge against their teammates when necessary – now it's Norris's turn to adopt a similar approach.

Beyond just a qualifying expert

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

Despite initially expressing frustration over being outpaced by Norris, Leclerc showcased exceptional tire management once he had an unobstructed path following the second pit stops for both McLarens. Ultimately, he held on to secure a heartfelt win.

Previously, Leclerc earned a reputation as a 'qualifying specialist' or someone with a singular talent because of his remarkable speed during qualifying sessions, frequently securing pole positions but then losing ground during the actual race.

This year's Ferrari, with its improved balance and neutral handling of the tyres, has allowed Leclerc to demonstrate on Sundays that he excels in tyre management, ranking among the top drivers.

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

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 how they began the season, excelling in the first few races, it’s astonishing to see them now leaving a race weekend ranked as only the fourth-best team.

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

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

Red Bull possesses all the necessary resources and staff to improve the situation.

The concern for Red Bull is that McLaren's latest upgrades, introduced at the Dutch Grand Prix, have significantly enhanced their car's performance. With upcoming races in locations such as Azerbaijan and Singapore, which are not anticipated to favor the RB20, Red Bull could face further challenges.

New Audi leader experiences challenges firsthand

New Audi CEO Mattia Binotto attended the Sauber garage during the Italian Grand Prix this weekend.

This marks the initial occasion we've witnessed the ex-Ferrari leader engaging 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 is expected to join as team principal from Red Bull in the future.

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

Sauber has not managed to secure a top 10 finish at all 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 informed Motorsport.com, “It's beyond our budget. This team must evolve into a victorious one in the future. The path to achieving that involves making steady progress and advancing. We must prepare ourselves for what's ahead.”

"Absolutely, I believe we definitely need to make improvements. This is crucial for us personally, for the team as a whole, for the brand's reputation, and for our partners. We cannot be content with our current standing."

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