McLaren’s Crucial Crossroad: Backing Lando Norris Amid Italian GP Drama and Red Bull’s Decline

McLaren Should Support Lando Norris More, Yet He Needs to Improve Personally

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 once more at the Italian Grand Prix, squandering yet another chance to secure a Formula 1 win.

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

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

This marks the fourth missed chance for McLaren to secure a win, following similar situations in Canada, Britain, and potentially Belgium, where improved strategic choices might have led to victory.

A more urgent concern for McLaren is whether they should now support 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 the two teams, the British driver has a strong opportunity to claim the title this year.

The strong performance by McLaren, compared to Red Bull's struggles, should encourage the top executives at Woking to support Norris in his bid for the world championship this year.

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

During a press briefing at Monza, where Crash.net was in attendance, he stated, "We must now recognize that not just the constructor championship is within reach," Stella added.

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

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

Reflecting on the events of the first lap, Piastri should not be faulted for his actions during his close racing encounter with Norris.

His move on Norris was both impressive and bold, and it would have secured him the victory at Monza if he had opted for a one-stop strategy.

Although Piastri's maneuver allowed Leclerc to overtake Norris, it was 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 it with straightforward pre-race guidelines on behavior after the initial set of turns.

Nonetheless, Norris should also be criticized for his poor defense against Piastri, as he essentially allowed his teammate an easy opportunity to overtake.

There's no question that the team must make a decision starting from the Azerbaijan race, but Norris has to quit giving Piastri reasons (as he did in Hungary) to disrupt his championship campaign.

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

Not Just a 'Qualifying Expert'

Leclerc has maintained his impressive race day form throughout 2024, and the Monza event was no exception.

Despite his initial complaints about being undercut by Norris, Leclerc skillfully managed his tires after the two McLaren cars pitted for their second stops, ultimately securing an emotional victory.

Previously, Leclerc was frequently criticized as being good only at qualifying, earning the nickname ‘quali merchant,’ because he often secured the fastest time on Saturdays but then struggled during the actual race.

This year's Ferrari is more balanced and neutral in its tire management, allowing Leclerc to demonstrate his top-tier skills in tire preservation during races on Sundays.

Leclerc has proven himself to be a versatile driver who will undoubtedly challenge Hamilton significantly in the coming year.

Red Bull's struggles persisted at the Italian Grand Prix, as Verstappen ended up in sixth place, trailing Leclerc by more than 35 seconds.

Considering their strong performance at the beginning of the season, where they dominated the initial races, it’s perplexing 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's transition from being dominant race winners to a position akin to Red Bull's current status was primarily due to financial constraints and limited development.

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

Red Bull has cause for concern as McLaren has enhanced their vehicle with recent upgrades introduced at the Dutch Grand Prix. Upcoming races in Azerbaijan and Singapore, which are not anticipated to favor the RB20, may bring further challenges for the team.

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

This is the initial occasion we’ve observed the ex-Ferrari chief engaging with the Hinwil team since his appointment was revealed in July.

Binotto will lead Audi’s Formula 1 team as both Chief Operating Officer and Chief Technical Officer, working alongside Jonathan Wheatley, who is set to become the team principal once he transitions from Red Bull.

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

Sauber hasn't managed to secure a place in the top 10 throughout the 2024 season, and their performance at Monza continued this trend.

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

Speaking to Motorsport.com, Binotto stated, "We can't allow it. Our team needs to evolve into a victorious one in the future, and the sole method to achieve this is by advancing and making progress. We must prepare ourselves for what's ahead."

"Absolutely, I believe there's a definite need for improvement. It's crucial for us, for the team, for the brand, and for our partners. Staying in our current situation is simply not an option."

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