Additionally, McLaren can clearly see that Piastri has the potential to be the stronger driver of the two both metally and skill wise. If they order him in a supporting driver role now they threaten to create a problem reversing that in the future and could cause a potential destabilsing of their biggest asset (driver wise). They've seen this problem before and given that Norris is questionable under pressure they may be thinking long term already.

Mad how Norris can’t hold onto a lead at the start!

 

 

Norris is the worst starting driver on the grid. Only two drivers this season have not gained a position on the opening lap. Norris and... Franco Colapinto - who actually maintained position today and therefore arguably has a better record already.

I actually think Piastri is the better racer than Lando too but Lando is the better driver (used to think the same with Hamilton vs Button when they were team mates). Piastri is still getting dominated by Lando in qualifying (although clearly wherever Lando is starting is irrelevant with his terrible starts) and when the car was as it's absolute best in Zandvoort, Norris comfortably drove off into the sunset and Oscar wasn't even on the podium. Given there's only 8 rounds to go it doesn't make much sense to prioritise Oscar as over 100 points behind is a no chance situation. They can destroy Red Bull every race from now but all it takes is one mechanical failure to end the drivers championship hopes.

It's true that Lando has beaten Oscar in qualifying more often in this first half of the season and he may be the better qualifier but it;s hard to tell. Last season Piastri had a fairly ordinary start to the season and then matched Norris in the qualy head to head 5-5 over the final 10 races, having arguably the stronger finish. Possibly he improved over the year or perhaps the circuits in the latter half of the calendar suited him better compared to the early ones.

As for this year it is not without note that Oscar has not been allowed to run the same upgrades as Lando across several races and so it's not a truly fair comparison. These upgrades from Miami onwards have notably turned the McLaren from the 3rd of 4th best car into the dominant one, yet Piastri was always several parts behind at first. Add to that he out-qualified Norris at Imola but received a grid penalty - for which he was blameless - for impeding Magnussen and was unable to set a time in Q3 for Spain., then you can see it's not as clear cut as the stats might suggest. It's true though that Zandvoort was a bad weekend for Oscar but Leclerc was the star driver that day for a reason.

 

 

I don't think McLaren should prioritise Piastri over Norris certainly, but firstly you have to assume that McLaren know more than anyone about their drivers as they have all the data, and it's not without merit to say that the Australian has been the better driver in themajority of the most recent races. If they begin to tell him to pull over in numerous races for Norris to win, it would be not only a really bad look, but could potentially damage the relationship with the most promising young driver currently on the grid over a WDC that McLaren have already claimed is an improbability for Norris. I'm not as sure on that given Red Bull's recent problems.

 

It's a tough call for sure and one they need to make very soon but one that also would need to come with a number of assurances from McLaren to placate Oscar.

If they all were within 20 points you let them race. If Lando was not that far ahead of Piastri sure. But it’s a case where only one of them can win and he is behind by quite a margin so the only way he can really catch Max is with intelligent teamwork on rare occasions. The last race was an easy 3 points to boost Lando’s chances. It doesn’t mean he’s the #1 driver long term or next year, it’s just an educated move given the current circumstances and I find it hard to believe Oscar won’t understand that. They just need 1-2 races of Lando#1 and Max 4-5-6 and the race is right there. You dilly dally too long and suddenly there are 5 races left and one mistake and it’s all over. They need to get in a position where they can have a bad race and still be in with a chance. They have to make that decision before the next race and it defies all logic that they don’t favour Lando. Given their superiority if Oscar played ball he could easily hold up others and let Lando go miles clear in certain situations which might be needed in the last few races depending on how the points look at that stage.

It is of course entirely possible that it is written in to their contracts that the team cannot be seen to favour one driver over the other. It wouldn't be the first time ever. This may mean that a written stipulation exists whereby whoever leads at the end of the first lap, pit stop etc can not be obliged to give up position for the end of the race.

Oliver Bearman has been confirmed as Kevin Magnussen's replacement for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

 

Did McLaren make adjustments to the "Papaya Rules" of engagement between Hungary & Monza?

Aston need to get a quality driver to partner Alonso if they are serious about Newey.

During a recent discussion every single team voted in favour of a post season race (presumably held at Abu Dhabi around the end of season test) for junior and rookie drivers using the current season's cars. This would give everyone an opportunity to look at the younger drivers, give them experience and super license points and would not have any kind of negative impact on a World Championship race.

 

I like this idea

that would be great

Newey to Aston finally announced.

Can Sauber & RB announce their 2nd drivers for 2025 already.....

Common sense has prevailed https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/articles/c4gen1vegx7o

Now we wait and see how those 10 points lost for Norris bite at the season end.

Now we wait and see how those 10 points lost for Norris bite at the season end.

 

Could well do but there are three sprints left too so still definitely possible. Lando has a big advantage with parts used and potential grid penalties too

Now we wait and see how those 10 points lost for Norris bite at the season end.

 

It won't just be those 10 points from Hungary and Monza though. Lando has thrown away plenty of opportunities to score more through his own mistakes and failures to capitalise on having the best car. Look at Imola, Spain, Silverstone, Canada and Austria for example.

 

If the rest of the season plays out like the last 5 or so races and Norris does come out champion, there will be a fair number of people saying he's not truly worthy of it. Pretty sure he'd not want it to be that way.

 

 

Noticeable too that McLaren are refusing to give him number one status only to 'bias' him. There's a lot to read in to that.

It won't just be those 10 points from Hungary and Monza though. Lando has thrown away plenty of opportunities to score more through his own mistakes and failures to capitalise on having the best car. Look at Imola, Spain, Silverstone, Canada and Austria for example.

 

If the rest of the season plays out like the last 5 or so races and Norris does come out champion, there will be a fair number of people saying he's not truly worthy of it. Pretty sure he'd not want it to be that way.

Noticeable too that McLaren are refusing to give him number one status only to 'bias' him. There's a lot to read in to that.

 

Better than missing out by 5 points surely, the one Max won where he beat Lewis right at the end after that debate able call by the official, I doubt he cares that some think it’s tainted. At the end of the day winners find a way to win and now Lando has no excuses

Of course he'll take it if that's how it comes. It's just not how he wants to win it.

 

 

Norris, Stella says, does not want to have complete number one status where Piastri would be required to move over at all times over the rest of the season.

 

“Lando wants to win because he deserved the victory on track,” Stella said.

 

“It’s okay to be occasionally supported by your team mate, but you don’t want to use, systematically, ways of adjusting the race just for the sake of the points when your team mate is scoring in a way that he deserves. This is not the way McLaren want to win, or the way Lando wants to win.”

 

Stella said Norris would be content if he failed to win the championship by a few points that he “could have got with some actions… if those actions were not right at the time.”

 

 

And to win it the way he wants to, he needs to up his game somewhat. Otherwise he'll be filed alongside the likes of Villeneuve, Rosberg, Damon Hill etc as among the least deserving champions

It won't just be those 10 points from Hungary and Monza though. Lando has thrown away plenty of opportunities to score more through his own mistakes and failures to capitalise on having the best car. Look at Imola, Spain, Silverstone, Canada and Austria for example.

 

If the rest of the season plays out like the last 5 or so races and Norris does come out champion, there will be a fair number of people saying he's not truly worthy of it. Pretty sure he'd not want it to be that way.

Noticeable too that McLaren are refusing to give him number one status only to 'bias' him. There's a lot to read in to that.

 

Austria, the one where Max ran him off the road?

 

And yeah as Liam says I'm sure Max doesn't give a jot about how his 2021 title came about, people will always try and create narratives about how a driver was undeserving of a title because of their biases. But regardless of the circumstances, if Lando does overturn what was at its peak an 84 point deficit that would monumental and unthinkable.

Edited September 13, 2024Sep 13 by Dobbo