Politeness Over Performance? Scrutiny Over McLaren’s Strategy Decisions for Norris at British GP

McLaren criticized for excessive "courtesy" while evaluating Lando Norris' tactical choices

"Mercedes and Red Bull seem to consistently outperform in making effective team decisions."

Former Formula 1 strategist Bernie Collins believes McLaren is overly courteous in their strategic decisions for Lando Norris.

Norris was unable to secure another Formula 1 win when a pivotal choice to opt for soft tyres instead of mediums gave Lewis Hamilton the victory at the British Grand Prix.

After the race, the decision-making tactics of McLaren, especially in terms of their interaction with Norris, came under close examination once more.

McLaren had the advantage of possessing an extra set of medium tyres for the last segment of the race, which was the preferred tyre choice at Silverstone.

Nonetheless, Norris had a preference for soft tires once he learned from McLaren that Hamilton had chosen them, rather than the team deciding on his behalf. They were aware that the medium tires were superior, a fact that Oscar Piastri's performance subsequently confirmed.

During the most recent Sky F1 podcast episode, Collins expressed that he believes the McLaren team displays excessive caution in their decision-making.

"She mentioned that it seems Mercedes and Red Bull are leading the way in consistently making sound team decisions."

"This phenomenon is observed with both Max and GP as well. It appears the connection with Lando Norris is relatively recent, leading to an apparent lack of trust."

"Some adjustments have been made to the team strategy, necessitating a period for trust to be built. Even in a scenario where a wrong decision is made regarding tire choice during the last pit stop, it's preferable to make that decision confidently. Any mistakes can be analyzed and learned from afterward, rather than being marred by indecision."

Collins mentioned how Hamilton and Mercedes have a relationship where they're comfortable openly criticizing each other.

"She mentioned that Lewis is comfortable in pointing things out to the pit wall team," she continued. "Similarly, the pit wall team doesn't hesitate to reassure Lewis, telling him everything will be okay – a scenario we've seen repeatedly. Their exchanges have become somewhat more direct. It's as though they're saying, 'This is our opinion, and we believe you're mistaken.' They have the freedom to challenge one another.

At Lando-McLaren, the atmosphere is somewhat more courteous. The approach is more, 'please, after you, what's your opinion?'. Such niceties don't really fit with the Formula 1 ethos. It's essential to have a stance and stand by it firmly. Clearly, there's room for improvement in this area.

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