McLaren’s Crucial Crossroad: Backing Norris Amidst Strategy Blunders, Leclerc’s Surge, and Red Bull’s Unprecedented Downfall

McLaren Should Support Lando Norris, Yet He Must Also Improve

An analysis of the key discussions after an eventful Italian Grand Prix, highlighting McLaren's hesitation to fully support Lando Norris and what he needs to work on personally.

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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 move to pass his McLaren teammate Lando Norris and subsequently building a lead of more than five seconds.

McLaren's conservative tactics proved detrimental when they opted for a two-stop plan, while Ferrari, with Charles Leclerc, chose a single-stop strategy and ended up securing a victory in their own country.

This marks the fourth instance where McLaren has potentially lost a victory due to suboptimal strategic choices, following similar situations in Canada, Britain, and perhaps Belgium.

The primary concern for McLaren is now Norris' quest for the drivers' championship and deciding if they should fully support him at this point.

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

The strong performance by McLaren, especially when compared to Red Bull's troubles, ought to encourage the senior leadership at the Woking-based team to support Norris in his quest for this year's world championship title.

Following the events at Monza, it seems that team leader Andrea Stella is inclined to proceed in that direction.

At Monza, where Crash.net was in attendance, he informed the media, "We must now recognize that the constructors' championship is within reach," Stella remarked.

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

"In order to win both championships, we must ensure that 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 against Norris was impressive and assertive, and it would have secured him the victory at Monza if he had adhered to a one-stop strategy.

Although Piastri's move allowed Leclerc to overtake Norris, his actions were still in line with the team's pre-race directives.

Nevertheless, considering the chance that Norris could realistically win the world championship this year, it was an unnecessary risk. The team could have easily managed it by giving clear pre-race instructions on behavior after the initial series of corners.

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

Clearly, the team must decide on a course of action starting with the race in Azerbaijan. However, Norris must avoid providing Piastri with opportunities, similar to what happened in Hungary, to disrupt his championship quest.

Michael Schumacher, Lewis Hamilton, Fernando Alonso, and Max Verstappen have all shown a fierce competitive edge against their teammates when necessary – now it's time for Lando Norris to adopt the same approach.

Not Just a 'Qualifying Expert'

Leclerc keeps delivering impressive performances on race days in 2024, and Monza was no exception.

Despite initially voicing concerns about Norris undermining his performance, Leclerc showcased excellent tyre management once he had a clear track after both McLarens pitted for their second stops, ultimately securing a heartfelt win.

Historically, Leclerc was frequently referred to as a 'qualifying specialist' or someone with only one skill, because of his exceptional speed during Saturday qualifying sessions, often securing pole position, but then failing to maintain that performance during the race.

This year's Ferrari boasts improved balance and a neutral handling of its tyres, allowing Leclerc to demonstrate his top-tier skills in tyre management during races on Sundays.

Leclerc has proven himself to be a versatile driver who will undoubtedly pose a significant challenge to Hamilton in the upcoming year.

Unforeseen Decline for Red Bull

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

Considering their strong start to the season, where they led the first few races, it’s astonishing that they now finish 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 situation akin to Red Bull's current status, primarily due to financial constraints and limited development.

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

Red Bull is facing concerns as McLaren has enhanced their vehicle with an upgrade introduced during the Dutch Grand Prix. With upcoming races in Azerbaijan and Singapore, tracks that are not predicted to favor the RB20, Red Bull might encounter further challenges.

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

This marks the initial occasion we’ve observed the ex-Ferrari chief engaging with the Hinwil team since his announcement in July.

Binotto is set to lead Audi's Formula 1 team, serving as both the Chief Operating Officer and Chief Technical Officer. He will work alongside Jonathan Wheatley, who will take on the role of team principal upon his future transition from Red Bull.

The Italian faces a huge challenge as Sauber is currently at the bottom of the constructors’ championship standings.

Sauber has not achieved any top 10 finishes in the 2024 season, and their performance at Monza was no different.

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

Binotto spoke to Motorsport.com, stating, "We don't have the luxury of falling behind. Our goal is to transform this team into a championship-winning squad in the future. The path to achieving this lies in making continuous improvements and advances. We must begin preparing ourselves for upcoming challenges."

"Absolutely, I believe we must make improvements. It matters for us personally, it matters for the team, it matters for the brand, and it matters for our partners. We can't just settle for where we are right now."

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