McLaren’s Dilemma: Time to Back Lando Norris Amidst Italian GP Drama and Red Bull Downfall

McLaren must start supporting Lando Norris more, but he also needs to step up

Analyzing 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 again at the Italian Grand Prix, losing yet another chance to secure an F1 victory.

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

McLaren's careful strategy ended up costing them, as they chose a two-stop plan while Ferrari opted for a single-stop approach with Charles Leclerc, who ended up securing a victory on their home turf.

This marks the fourth time McLaren has lost a potential win due to suboptimal strategy choices, following similar situations in Canada, Britain, and perhaps Belgium.

The more urgent matter for McLaren is Norris' quest for the drivers' championship and determining if now is the right moment to support him.

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

McLaren's strong performance, especially when compared to Red Bull's struggles, should encourage the senior leaders at the Woking team to support Norris in his quest for this year's world championship.

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

During a media briefing at Monza, where Crash.net was in attendance, he stated, "We must now recognize that achieving not just the constructors' championship is within our reach," Stella mentioned.

"Looking at it from the driver's perspective, given our current car performance and the challenges Red Bull is facing, it's certainly achievable."

"In order to pursue both championships successfully, we need to ensure that both the team and Lando are in optimal condition."

Reflecting on the first lap, Piastri's performance in the close racing with Norris warrants no disapproval.

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

Even though it allowed Leclerc to get past Norris, Piastri's behavior was in line with the team's pre-race directives.

Nonetheless, considering the chance that Norris could realistically claim the world championship this year, it was an unnecessary gamble. The team could have easily managed this by issuing straightforward guidelines about behavior right after the initial corners of the race.

Nonetheless, Norris should also be criticized for his poor defense against Piastri, as he essentially left an opening for his teammate to overtake him.

The team definitely needs to make a decision starting from the Azerbaijan race, but Norris should avoid providing Piastri with opportunities (as seen in Hungary) to disrupt his quest for the championship.

Michael Schumacher, Lewis Hamilton, Fernando Alonso, and Verstappen have all shown a fierce competitive edge against their teammates when necessary – now it's Norris's turn to follow suit.

Not Just a 'Qualifying Expert'

Leclerc consistently delivers impressive performances on race day in 2024, and his showing at Monza was no exception.

Despite initially expressing frustration about being outpaced by Norris, Leclerc expertly managed his tyres after the two McLarens pitted for their second stops and held on to secure a heartfelt win.

In earlier times, Leclerc frequently earned the nickname of a 'qualifying expert' or was seen as having a single skill because of his remarkable speed during qualifying sessions on Saturdays, where he often secured pole position but then lost ground during the race.

This year's Ferrari, being more balanced and neutral in its tyre handling, has allowed Leclerc to demonstrate his top-tier skills in tyre preservation during Sunday races.

Leclerc has proven himself to be a versatile driver, and he is expected to challenge Hamilton significantly next 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.

Considering their strong start to the season, where they were leading the initial races, it's astonishing to see them now finishing a race weekend as the fourth-best team.

Such a decline in performance has never been seen before.

Although Brawn GP transitioned from being dominant race winners to a position comparable to Red Bull's current standing, their decline was primarily due to insufficient funds and limited development.

Red Bull possesses the necessary assets and team members to make improvements.

The concerning issue for Red Bull is that McLaren has enhanced their vehicle with a recent upgrade at the Dutch Grand Prix. With tracks such as Azerbaijan and Singapore on the horizon, which are anticipated to be unfavorable for the RB20, Red Bull is likely to face more challenges ahead.

New Audi head Mattia Binotto witnessed difficulties firsthand at the Sauber garage during the Italian Grand Prix this weekend.

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

Binotto will lead Audi's Formula 1 team in the roles of Chief Operating Officer and Chief Technical Officer, working alongside Jonathan Wheatley. Wheatley will become the team principal once he transitions from his current position at Red Bull.

The Italian faces a colossal task as Sauber is currently last in the constructors' championship.

Sauber has not achieved a top 10 finish at all in 2024, and their performance at Monza continued this trend.

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

In a conversation with Motorsport.com, Binotto stated, "It is not something we can afford. This team must evolve into a victorious one in the future. The path to achieving that lies in making advancements and moving forward. We need to build our strength for what lies ahead."

"Absolutely, I believe we must make improvements. It's crucial for us personally, for the team, for our brand, and for our partners. We can't be satisfied with where we are right now."

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