Backing Norris: McLaren’s Strategy Gambles and Italian GP Drama Unveiled

McLaren must support Lando Norris, but he needs to step up

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

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

Oscar Piastri executed a brilliant performance at Monza, making a bold move to pass his McLaren teammate Lando Norris and eventually extending his lead to more than five seconds.

McLaren's conservative tactics proved to be a disadvantage when they opted for a two-stop strategy, while Ferrari chose a one-stop plan with Charles Leclerc. This decision allowed Leclerc to secure a victory in his home race.

This marks the fourth occasion where McLaren might have secured a victory, following missed chances in Canada, Britain, and potentially Belgium, had their strategic choices been more effective.

Nonetheless, the more urgent concern for McLaren is Norris’ quest for the drivers’ championship – and deciding if now is the moment to fully support him.

With only eight rounds remaining, Norris is trailing Max Verstappen by just 62 points in the drivers' championship. Considering the current momentum of their respective teams, the British driver has a strong opportunity to claim this year’s title.

McLaren's excellent performance, compared to Red Bull's struggles, should encourage the senior leaders at the Woking team to support Norris in his pursuit of this year's world championship.

Following the Monza race, it seems that team leader Andrea Stella is inclined to take that action.

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

"Given our current car's performance and the issues Red Bull is experiencing, achieving success is certainly within reach from a driver's perspective."

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

Reflecting on the events of the first lap, Piastri's actions during his side-by-side battle with Norris should not be faulted.

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

Although Piastri's actions allowed Leclerc to get by Norris, he did not violate the team's pre-race directives.

However, considering the chance that Norris might actually win the world championship this year, it was an unnecessary gamble. This situation could have been managed by the team with straightforward guidelines given before the race about behavior after the initial corners.

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

Clearly, the team must make a decision starting with Azerbaijan, but Norris must cease providing Piastri with reasons (as he did in Hungary) to disrupt his championship quest.

Michael Schumacher, Lewis Hamilton, Fernando Alonso, and Max Verstappen all displayed a relentless approach towards their teammates when necessary – now it's time for Lando Norris to adopt a similar mindset.

Beyond just excelling in qualifying

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

Despite initially voicing concerns about being outpaced by Norris, Leclerc skillfully conserved his tyres after both McLaren cars pitted for their second stops, ultimately securing a heartfelt win.

Historically, Leclerc earned the nickname of a ‘quali merchant’ or a one-trick pony because of his exceptional speed during qualifying sessions, frequently securing pole position, but then losing momentum during the race.

This year's Ferrari model, which boasts improved balance and more neutral handling of its tyres, has allowed Leclerc to demonstrate his exceptional skill in tyre management during races on Sundays.

Leclerc has proven himself to be a versatile driver who is sure to challenge Hamilton significantly in the upcoming year.

Red Bull faces an unexpected decline

The struggles for Red Bull persisted at 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 excelled in the initial races, it’s surprising 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 leading race winners to a situation akin 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 a comeback.

Concerns are mounting for Red Bull as McLaren's recent upgrades at the Dutch Grand Prix have enhanced their car's performance. With upcoming races in Azerbaijan and Singapore, which are not anticipated to favor the RB20, Red Bull could face further challenges ahead.

New Audi CEO Mattia Binotto witnessed the challenges firsthand while in the Sauber garage during the Italian Grand Prix this weekend.

This is the first occasion we have observed 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. He will be working with Jonathan Wheatley, who will take on the position of team principal once he transitions from Red Bull.

The Italian faces a monumental task as Sauber sits at the bottom of the constructors' championship standings.

Sauber did not manage to secure any top 10 finishes in 2024, and the Monza race did not improve their performance.

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

In an interview with Motorsport.com, Binotto expressed, "It's not something we can allow. Our team must evolve into a winning one in the future. The path to achieving this is by consistently improving and advancing. We need to build our strength for what's ahead."

"Absolutely, I believe we definitely need to make improvements. This is crucial not just for us, but also for the team, the brand, and our partners. We cannot simply be satisfied with where we are right now."

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