McLaren’s Crucial Decision: Backing Lando Norris Amid Italian GP Drama and Red Bull’s Downfall

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

Examining the key issues 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 during the Italian Grand Prix, losing yet another chance at an F1 race win.

Oscar Piastri delivered an excellent performance at Monza, executing a bold pass on 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 strategy, while Ferrari, with Charles Leclerc, chose a one-stop plan and eventually clinched victory in their home race.

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

The more immediate concern for McLaren is Norris' chase for the drivers' championship and deciding if they should support him at this point.

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

The excellent performance of McLaren, especially when compared to the struggles of Red Bull, is likely to 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 boss Andrea Stella is inclined to proceed in that direction.

At Monza, where Crash.net was in attendance, he informed the press, "We must now recognize that winning the constructor championship is within reach," Stella stated.

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

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

Reflecting on the first lap, Piastri should not be faulted for his conduct during the wheel-to-wheel battle with Norris.

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

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

However, considering the chance that Norris could genuinely win the world championship this year, it was an unnecessary gamble. The team could have easily managed it with a straightforward directive about behavior after the initial series of turns.

Nevertheless, Norris should also be held accountable for his poor defense against Piastri, as he essentially allowed his teammate to overtake him.

There’s no question that the team must make a decision starting from the Azerbaijan race, but Norris has to avoid providing Piastri with reasons (as seen in Hungary) to disrupt his championship chase.

Michael Schumacher, Lewis Hamilton, Fernando Alonso, and Verstappen have all shown a fierce competitive edge against their teammates when necessary. Now, it's time for Norris to adopt a similar approach.

More than just a ‘qualification specialist’

Leclerc has been delivering outstanding performances on race days throughout 2024, and Monza was no exception.

Despite initially expressing frustration about being outpaced by Norris, Leclerc expertly conserved his tyres after the two McLaren cars made their second pit stops, eventually securing a poignant win.

Previously, Leclerc frequently earned the nickname of a 'quali merchant' or a one-trick pony because of his incredible speed during qualifying sessions on Saturdays, where he often secured pole position, only to lose momentum during the race itself.

This year's Ferrari has improved balance and a more neutral approach to handling its tyres. As a result, Leclerc has demonstrated his top-tier skills in tyre management during Sunday races.

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

Red Bull's Decline Continues

At the Italian Grand Prix, Red Bull's struggles persisted as Verstappen managed to secure only sixth place, trailing Leclerc by more than 35 seconds.

Considering their strong performance at the beginning of the season, where they excelled in the first few races, it's surprising to see them now finishing a race weekend as only the fourth-best team.

A decline in performance like this has never been seen before.

Brawn GP transitioned from being leading race victors to a state similar to Red Bull's current position, primarily due to financial constraints and limited development.

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

The concerning issue for Red Bull is that McLaren has enhanced their vehicle with a recent upgrade for the Dutch Grand Prix. With upcoming tracks like Azerbaijan and Singapore, which aren't anticipated to favor the RB20, Red Bull could face further challenges ahead.

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

This marks the initial occasion we’ve witnessed the ex-Ferrari leader engaged with the Hinwil team following his announcement in July.

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

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

Sauber has not achieved a top 10 finish at all in the 2024 season, and their performance at Monza followed the same disappointing trend.

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

Binotto expressed to Motorsport.com that they don't have the luxury to fall behind. He emphasized that their goal is to transform the team into a championship contender in the future, which requires continuous advancement and improvement. He likened their preparation to training muscles, essential for future success.

"Absolutely, I believe we must make improvements. This is crucial for us individually, for the team as a whole, for the brand's reputation, and for our partners. We simply cannot be satisfied with where we currently stand."

Discover More

Breaking News

Breaking News

Site Map

Crash.Net

©1999-2024 Crash Media Group

No part of the text, photos, or illustrations may be reproduced, either in whole or in part, in any manner.