McLaren’s Conundrum: To Back Norris or Strategize Smarter? – Italian GP Highlights and Red Bull’s Unprecedented Downfall

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

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

Support for Norris is crucial

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

Oscar Piastri delivered an impressive performance at Monza, making a bold move to pass his McLaren teammate Lando Norris and eventually pulling ahead by more than five seconds.

McLaren's careful tactics ended up working against them when they opted for a two-stop plan, while Ferrari's Charles Leclerc went for a one-stop strategy and ultimately secured victory in a race on their home turf.

This marks the fourth time McLaren has potentially missed out on a victory due to suboptimal strategy choices, following similar situations in Canada, Britain, and possibly Belgium.

The more immediate concern for McLaren is whether they should start supporting Norris in his quest for the drivers’ championship.

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

McLaren's remarkable performance, compared to Red Bull's struggles, should inspire the senior leaders at the Woking team to support Norris in his bid for this year's world championship.

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

During a media briefing at Monza, which Crash.net attended, he stated, "We must now recognize that winning the constructors' championship is achievable," Stella said.

"Given our current car performance and the challenges Red Bull is experiencing, it is certainly achievable from a driver's perspective."

"In order for us to aim for both championships, it’s crucial to 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 racing with Norris are beyond reproach.

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

Although Piastri's move allowed Leclerc to overtake Norris, it did not violate 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 simple instruction about behavior after the initial corners.

Nonetheless, Norris cannot be absolved of criticism for his lackluster defense against Piastri, as he essentially allowed his teammate an easy pass.

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

Michael Schumacher, Lewis Hamilton, Fernando Alonso, and Verstappen each showed no mercy towards their teammates when necessary – now it's Norris's turn to follow suit.

Beyond just excelling in qualifying sessions, Leclerc has consistently delivered strong performances on race days in 2024, with Monza being another example of his prowess.

Despite his early complaints about Norris undercutting him, Leclerc expertly managed his tyres once he had clear air after the two McLarens made their second pit stops, ultimately securing an emotional victory.

Previously, Leclerc was frequently described as a 'quali merchant' or a one-trick pony because of his incredible speed during qualifying sessions on Saturdays, where he often secured pole position, but then failed to maintain that performance during the race.

This year’s Ferrari has a more balanced and neutral handling of its tyres, allowing Leclerc to demonstrate his top-tier skills in tyre management on Sundays.

Leclerc has proven himself to be a versatile driver who is likely to pose a significant challenge to Hamilton 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.

Starting the season strong by winning the first few races, it's surprising to see them now finishing a race weekend 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 state similar to Red Bull's current situation, primarily due to financial constraints and limited development.

Red Bull possesses all the necessary resources and staff to improve 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 tracks such as Azerbaijan and Singapore, which are anticipated to be unfavorable for the RB20, Red Bull is likely to face further challenges.

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

This marks the initial occasion that we've witnessed the ex-Ferrari leader engaging with the Hinwil team following 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 will become the team principal after transitioning from Red Bull.

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

Sauber hasn't managed to secure any top 10 placements in 2024, and their performance at Monza was no exception.

Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu occupied the last positions on the grid, making their team the slowest during the race.

In an interview with Motorsport.com, Binotto stated, "We can't afford that. Our team needs to evolve into a winning team in the future. The only way to achieve this is by making progress and advancing. We need to build our strength for what's ahead."

"Absolutely, we definitely need to make improvements. It's crucial for our own benefit, for the team's success, for the brand's reputation, and for our partners. We simply cannot accept where we currently stand."

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