McLaren’s Gamble: Backing Norris Amidst Strategy Blunders and Red Bull’s Decline

McLaren should now support Lando Norris – but he must improve individually

Analyzing the key discussions after an eventful Italian Grand Prix, emphasizing McLaren's hesitation to fully support Lando Norris

Support for Norris is essential

McLaren found themselves in the spotlight once more at the Italian Grand Prix after squandering yet another Formula 1 race win.

Oscar Piastri delivered an impressive 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 when they chose a two-stop plan, while Ferrari opted for a single stop with Charles Leclerc, who ended up triumphing in the race held in their home country.

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

Nevertheless, a more urgent concern for McLaren is Norris' quest for the drivers' championship – and whether they should start supporting him now.

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

McLaren's strong performance, compared to Red Bull's struggles, should inspire the top executives in Woking to support Norris in his pursuit of this year's world championship.

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

At Monza, where Crash.net was present, he informed the media: "We must now be able to recognize that not only is the constructors' championship achievable," Stella stated.

"Considering the current performance of our car and the difficulties that Red Bull is experiencing, it is certainly achievable from a driver's perspective."

"In order to strive for both championships, we must ensure that both the team and Lando are in optimal condition to compete."

Reflecting on the first lap, Piastri's conduct during his side-by-side duel with Norris should not be faulted.

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

Although Piastri's move allowed Leclerc to overtake Norris, it did not go against the team's pre-race guidelines.

Nevertheless, considering the chance that Norris could realistically become the world champion this year, it was an unnecessary risk. This situation could have been easily managed by the team with straightforward pre-race guidelines on behavior after the initial corners.

Nonetheless, Norris himself cannot be exempt from criticism for his poor defense against Piastri, as he essentially allowed his teammate to overtake him.

It's clear that the team must make a choice starting from the Azerbaijan race, but Norris has to stop providing Piastri with reasons (as seen in Hungary) to disrupt his championship quest.

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

More than just a qualifying expert

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

Despite his initial grievances about being overtaken by Norris, Leclerc expertly managed his tyres when he got a clear track after both McLaren cars pitted for their second stops. This strategy allowed him to secure a heartfelt win.

Historically, Leclerc was frequently referred to as a 'qualifying specialist' or someone with limited skills, as he often secured pole positions with his incredible speed on Saturdays but then struggled to maintain that performance during the race itself.

This year's Ferrari offers improved balance and a more neutral approach to tire handling, enabling Leclerc to demonstrate his top-tier skills in tire preservation during Sunday races.

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

Red Bull's struggles persisted at the Italian Grand Prix, with Verstappen ending the race in sixth place, trailing Leclerc by more than 35 seconds.

Considering their strong start to the season, where they dominated the first few races, it’s perplexing to see them now leaving a race weekend as only the fourth-best team.

A decline in performance of this magnitude has never been seen before.

Although Brawn GP transitioned from being leading race victors to a status akin to Red Bull's current standing, this shift was merely due to insufficient funds and 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 races in Azerbaijan and Singapore, which are not anticipated to favor the RB20, Red Bull could face further challenges ahead.

Audi's new leader, Mattia Binotto, witnessed the challenges first-hand during the Italian Grand Prix while in the Sauber garage.

This marks the initial appearance of the ex-Ferrari chief engaging with the Hinwil team since his announcement 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 be working alongside Jonathan Wheatley, who will become the team principal after his future move from Red Bull.

The Italian faces a colossal challenge as Sauber sits at the bottom of the constructors’ championship standings.

Sauber has not managed to secure a top 10 placement at all in 2024, and their performance at Monza did not improve this trend.

Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu started from the last row of the grid and were clearly the slowest team during the race.

In an interview with Motorsport.com, Binotto stated, "We don't have the luxury to fall behind. Our team must evolve into a victorious one in the coming times. The path to achieving this is by making steady improvements and advances. We must prepare and strengthen ourselves for what lies ahead."

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

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