McLaren’s Dilemma: Time to Back Norris Amidst Italian GP Drama and Strategic Blunders

McLaren must support Lando Norris, but he has to step up his game

Analyzing key issues 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 at an F1 victory.

Oscar Piastri delivered an impressive performance at Monza, making a bold pass on his McLaren teammate Lando Norris and eventually gaining a lead of more than five seconds.

McLaren's careful planning backfired when they chose a two-stop strategy, while Ferrari opted for just one stop with Charles Leclerc, leading to a victory in their home country.

McLaren has missed its fourth chance to win, following similar missed opportunities in Canada, Britain, and potentially Belgium, which could have been avoided with improved strategic choices.

The more urgent matter facing McLaren is Norris' quest for the drivers' championship and whether they should support him at this point.

With eight rounds remaining, Norris trails Max Verstappen by only 62 points in the drivers' championship. Considering the current performance trends of their teams, the British driver stands a strong chance of winning the title this year.

The strong performance of McLaren, especially when compared to the struggles of Red Bull, ought to inspire 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 leader Andrea Stella is inclined to take that direction.

While speaking to the media at Monza, where Crash.net was in attendance, he stated, "We must now recognize that winning the constructors' championship is within our reach," Stella remarked.

"Given our current car performance and observing the difficulties Red Bull is facing, achieving success is certainly within reach, even from a driver's perspective."

“To have a shot at winning both championships, we must ensure that the team and Lando are in the best possible shape.”

Reflecting on the first lap, Piastri shouldn't be faulted for his actions during the close racing with Norris.

His move against Norris was impressive and assertive, 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, they were still in line with the team's pre-race directives.

Nonetheless, considering the potential for Norris to realistically contend for the world championship this year, the risk taken was unnecessary. The team could have easily managed this with straightforward pre-race guidelines on behavior after the initial set of corners.

Nevertheless, Norris himself can't be exempt from criticism for his poor defense against Piastri, essentially allowing his teammate an easy pass.

There’s no question that the team must decide on a course of action starting in Azerbaijan. However, Norris must refrain from providing Piastri with reasons, as he did in Hungary, to disrupt his championship quest.

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

Beyond his qualifying prowess

Leclerc has consistently delivered strong performances on race days in 2024, and his showing at Monza was no exception.

Despite initially voicing concerns about Norris undermining his performance, Leclerc showcased excellent tyre management when he found himself with an unobstructed track after both McLaren cars pitted for their second stops. He held on to secure a heartfelt win.

Previously, Leclerc was frequently referred to as a 'qualifying specialist' or a one-dimensional driver because of his exceptional speed during Saturday qualifying sessions, where he often secured pole position, but then would struggle during the race.

This year, Ferrari's car has a more balanced and neutral approach to handling its tyres, allowing Leclerc to demonstrate top-tier performance in tyre management during races on Sundays.

Leclerc has proven himself as a versatile driver who is likely to challenge Hamilton significantly in the coming 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 performance at the start of the season, where they dominated the first few races, it’s perplexing to see them now finishing a race weekend as the fourth-best team.

This level of decline in performance has never been seen before.

Brawn GP, who once dominated races, found themselves in a situation akin to Red Bull's current position, primarily due to financial constraints and limited development.

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

The concerning aspect for Red Bull is that McLaren has enhanced their vehicle with a recent upgrade at the Dutch Grand Prix. With upcoming tracks like Azerbaijan and Singapore, which are anticipated not to favor the RB20, Red Bull could face additional challenges ahead.

Audi's new leader, Mattia Binotto, witnessed firsthand the challenges at the Italian Grand Prix while in the Sauber garage.

This marks the initial occasion that we have 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 in the roles of Chief Operating Officer and Chief Technical Officer. He will work alongside Jonathan Wheatley, who is slated to become the team principal once he transitions from his current position at Red Bull.

The Italian faces a monumental task as Sauber sits at the bottom of the constructors' championship.

Sauber has not managed to secure a top 10 position in 2024, and the Monza race did not improve their fortunes.

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

In an interview with Motorsport.com, Binotto stated, “It’s beyond our means. I believe this team is destined to be a champion in the future. The sole method to achieve that is by advancing and improving. We must strengthen ourselves for what lies ahead.”

"Absolutely, I believe we definitely need to make improvements. This is crucial not just for us personally, but also for the team, the brand, and our partners. We simply cannot be satisfied with where we currently stand."

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