**”McLaren’s Dilemma: Backing Lando Norris Amid Strategy Missteps and Red Bull’s Downfall”**

McLaren Must Support Lando Norris More – Yet He Also Has Room for Improvement

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

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McLaren found themselves in the spotlight once more during the Italian Grand Prix, squandering yet another chance at an F1 grand prix win.

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

McLaren's conservative strategy proved costly as they opted for two pit stops, while Ferrari chose a single-stop plan for Charles Leclerc, leading to a victory on their home turf.

This marks the fourth lost chance for McLaren to secure a victory due to suboptimal strategy choices, following similar situations in Canada, Britain, and potentially Belgium.

The main concern for McLaren at the moment is Norris' quest for the drivers' championship and deciding if it's the right moment to fully support him.

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

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

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

While speaking to the media at Monza, where Crash.net was in attendance, he stated, "We must now recognize that not only is the constructor's championship achievable," Stella remarked.

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

"In order to compete for both championships, we must ensure that the team and Lando are well-prepared."

Reflecting on the first lap, it's clear that Piastri should not be faulted for his actions during the close racing with Norris.

His move against Norris was impressive and bold, and it would have secured him the victory at Monza if he had followed a one-stop plan.

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 could realistically become the world champion this year, this was an unnecessary gamble. The team could have managed this situation with a straightforward pre-race directive regarding behavior after the initial corners.

Nonetheless, Norris himself is not without fault for his poor defense against Piastri, as he essentially allowed his teammate an easy pass.

There's no question that the team must decide on a course of action starting from Azerbaijan. However, Norris has to avoid giving Piastri any motivation, as he did in Hungary, to disrupt his championship campaign.

Michael Schumacher, Lewis Hamilton, Fernando Alonso, and Max Verstappen all displayed relentless competitiveness against their teammates when necessary. Now, it's time for Lando Norris to adopt a similar approach.

Beyond just excelling in qualifying rounds, Leclerc has consistently delivered impressive performances on race days throughout 2024, with Monza being no exception.

Despite his initial complaints about Norris undermining his performance, Leclerc skillfully managed his tires after getting a clear track when both McLaren cars pitted for their second stops, ultimately securing a heartfelt win.

Historically, Leclerc frequently earned the nickname of a ‘quali merchant’ or was seen as a specialist in one area because of his exceptional speed during qualifying sessions on Saturdays, where he often secured pole position but then struggled to maintain that performance in the actual race.

This year’s Ferrari, offering improved balance and a more neutral handling of its tyres, has allowed Leclerc to demonstrate his exceptional skill in tyre management during Sunday races, placing him among the top drivers.

Leclerc has shown that he is a versatile driver who will undoubtedly challenge Hamilton significantly in the coming year.

Red Bull Faces Unusual Setback

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 they began the season with a series of dominant performances in the initial races, it's perplexing to see them now ending 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 leading race victors to a status akin to Red Bull's current standing was primarily due to financial constraints and limited advancements.

Red Bull possesses all the necessary assets and staff to make a successful comeback.

Concerns are rising for Red Bull as McLaren has enhanced their vehicle with a recent upgrade at the Dutch Grand Prix. With upcoming tracks such as Azerbaijan and Singapore, which are not anticipated to favor the RB20, Red Bull might face further challenges ahead.

Newly appointed 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 observed the ex-Ferrari chief engaging with the Hinwil team since his appointment was declared 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 will assume the position of team principal upon his future transition from Red Bull.

The Italian faces an enormous challenge as Sauber is currently at the bottom of the constructors' championship standings.

Sauber hasn't managed to secure a top 10 placement in 2024, and the race at Monza showed no improvement for the team.

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

Binotto expressed to Motorsport.com that they don't have the luxury of waiting. He emphasized that the team must evolve into a victorious one in the future. According to him, the path to achieving this is by making continuous advancements. He added that they need to build their capabilities for what's ahead.

"Absolutely, I believe improvement is necessary. It's crucial for us individually, for the team as a whole, for our brand, and for our partners. We can't be content with where we currently stand."

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