Backing Norris: McLaren’s Strategy Missteps and the Path to a Championship

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

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

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McLaren found themselves in the spotlight yet again at the Italian Grand Prix, squandering another opportunity to win an F1 race.

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

McLaren's conservative tactics proved costly as they opted for a two-stop plan, while Ferrari chose a one-stop strategy with Charles Leclerc, leading to a victory in their home race.

This marks the fourth time McLaren has missed a chance for victory, following similar situations in Canada, Britain, and potentially Belgium, where improved strategic choices could have secured a win.

The more urgent concern for McLaren, however, is Norris’ chase for the drivers’ championship and deciding if it’s the right moment to support him fully.

Norris is trailing Max Verstappen by only 62 points in the drivers' championship with eight races remaining. Considering the current performance trends of both teams, the British driver has a strong opportunity to clinch the title this year.

McLaren's outstanding performance, compared to Red Bull's struggles, should encourage the top executives at the Woking-based team to support Norris in his quest for this year's world championship.

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

In a statement made to the press at Monza, with Crash.net in attendance, he said, "We must now recognize that winning the constructor championship is achievable," Stella remarked.

"Considering the current performance of our car and the challenges that Red Bull is facing, it is certainly achievable from a driver's perspective."

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

Reflecting on the first lap, Piastri should not be faulted for his approach during close racing with Norris.

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

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

Nevertheless, considering the chance that Norris might genuinely win the world championship this year, it was an unnecessary gamble. The team could have managed it easily with a pre-race directive regarding behavior after the first few corners.

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

Without question, the team must decide on a course of action starting from Azerbaijan. However, Norris needs to prevent Piastri from having reasons (as seen in Hungary) to disrupt his championship quest.

Michael Schumacher, Lewis Hamilton, Fernando Alonso, and Max Verstappen have all shown a willingness to be aggressive with their teammates when necessary; now, it's time for Lando Norris to adopt the same approach.

A Strong Competitor Beyond Qualifying

Leclerc has consistently delivered exceptional performances on race day throughout 2024, with Monza being no exception.

Despite expressing frustration initially about being overtaken by Norris, Leclerc showcased excellent tyre management once he had an open track after both McLaren cars pitted for their second stops. This allowed him to hold on and secure a heartfelt win.

Previously, Leclerc frequently earned the reputation of being a ‘qualifying specialist’ or a one-dimensional driver because of his impressive speed during Saturday's qualifying sessions, where he often secured pole position, but then struggled to maintain that performance during the race.

This year’s Ferrari has improved balance and more neutral tire handling, allowing Leclerc to demonstrate his exceptional skill in tire management during Sunday races.

Leclerc has proven himself to be a versatile driver who will undoubtedly pose a significant challenge to Hamilton next 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 their strong start to the season, where they controlled the first few races, it’s astonishing to see them now leaving a race weekend ranked as the fourth-best team.

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

Brawn GP transitioned from being dominant race winners to a position comparable to Red Bull's current standing, primarily due to financial constraints and a lack of development.

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

The concerning issue for Red Bull is that 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 the challenges firsthand from the Sauber garage during the Italian Grand Prix this weekend.

This marks the debut appearance of the ex-Ferrari chief with the Hinwil team since 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 is slated to become the team principal after his move from Red Bull.

The Italian faces a tremendous challenge as Sauber sits at the bottom of the constructors’ standings.

Sauber has not achieved a top 10 placement in 2024, and their performance at Monza was no different.

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

During an interview with Motorsport.com, Binotto expressed, "It's not something we can afford. Our goal is to transform this team into a championship-winning squad. The path to achieving that is by continuously improving and climbing the ranks. We need to build our strength for the challenges ahead."

"Absolutely, I believe we definitely need to make improvements. It's crucial for our own growth, for the team's success, for the brand's reputation, and for our partners. We simply cannot be satisfied with where we currently stand."

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