Backing Norris: McLaren’s Strategic Gamble Amid Italian Grand Prix Drama and Red Bull’s Downfall

McLaren Should Support Lando Norris More, But He Must Also Step Up

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

Support for Norris is due

During the Italian Grand Prix, McLaren found themselves in the spotlight once more after squandering another opportunity to secure an F1 grand prix win.

Oscar Piastri executed an impressive performance at Monza, successfully passing his McLaren teammate Lando Norris with a bold move and subsequently building a lead of more than five seconds.

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

This marks the fourth lost chance for McLaren, following similar scenarios in Canada, Britain, and perhaps Belgium, where improved strategic choices could have led to victory.

The more immediate concern for McLaren revolves around Norris' chase for the drivers' championship and deciding if they should support him at this point.

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

McLaren's strong performance, especially compared to Red Bull's struggles, is likely to encourage the senior management 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 take that action.

During a press conference at Monza, where Crash.net was in attendance, he stated, "We must now recognize that not only is the constructors' championship within reach," Stella commented.

"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 both the team and Lando are well-prepared."

Reflecting on the first lap, Piastri’s actions during his close encounter with Norris were entirely justifiable.

His move against Norris was impressive and forceful, and it would have secured him the victory at Monza if he had committed to a single-stop strategy.

Although Piastri's maneuver allowed Leclerc to pass Norris, it was still in line with the team's pre-race guidelines.

However, considering the chance that Norris might actually win the world championship this year, it was an unnecessary risk. The team could have easily managed this with a straightforward pre-race directive regarding behavior beyond the initial set of corners.

Nonetheless, Norris deserves criticism for his inadequate defense against Piastri, as he essentially allowed his teammate an easy opportunity to overtake.

Without a doubt, the team must make a decision starting from the Azerbaijan race. However, Norris should refrain from providing Piastri with reasons (as he did in Hungary) to disrupt his championship campaign.

Michael Schumacher, Lewis Hamilton, Fernando Alonso, and Max Verstappen have all shown a fierce competitive streak against their teammates when necessary. Now, it’s time for Lando Norris to follow suit.

Leclerc has been showcasing impressive performances on race days throughout 2024, and his showing at Monza was equally remarkable, proving he is more than just a qualifying expert.

Despite his initial complaints about being undermined by Norris, Leclerc showcased excellent tire management when he found himself in clear air after the two McLaren cars made their second pit stops. His efforts culminated in an emotional win.

Previously, Leclerc frequently earned the nickname of a 'quali merchant' or was seen as a one-dimensional driver because of his exceptional speed during qualifying sessions on Saturdays. Despite often securing pole positions, he would then struggle to maintain his performance during the actual races.

This year's Ferrari has improved balance and a more neutral approach to tire management, allowing Leclerc to demonstrate his top-tier skills in tire 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 struggles persisted at the Italian Grand Prix, as Verstappen managed to secure only a sixth-place finish, trailing more than 35 seconds behind Leclerc.

Starting the season strong and ruling the first few races, it's perplexing to see them now ending 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 dominant race winners to a position similar to Red Bull's current standing, primarily due to financial constraints and limited development.

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

A concern for Red Bull is that McLaren has enhanced their vehicle following their latest upgrade at the Dutch Grand Prix. With upcoming races in Azerbaijan and Singapore, which are not anticipated to favor the RB20, Red Bull might face additional challenges.

New Audi CEO Mattia Binotto experienced challenges firsthand at the Italian Grand Prix this weekend, observing from the Sauber team's garage.

This is the first occasion that the ex-Ferrari chief has been spotted working with the Hinwil team since his introduction in July.

Binotto is set to lead Audi’s Formula 1 team in the dual role 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 has not secured any top 10 finishes in 2024, and the Monza race did not bring any improvements.

Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu secured the final positions on the grid, making their team the slowest by a significant margin on race day.

In a discussion with Motorsport.com, Binotto stated, "It's beyond our budget. Our objective is to transform this team into a championship-winning squad in the future. The path to achieving that lies in continuous improvement and advancement. We must start preparing ourselves now for future success."

"Absolutely, we definitely need to make improvements. It's crucial for us personally, for the team, for the brand, and for our partners. We simply cannot be content with our current standing."

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