Former Formula 1 team principal Günther Steiner explains why McLaren would have done well to make Lando Norris number one earlier in the season
What if Lando Norris ends up missing out on the world title by a handful of points? Wouldn’t McLaren be annoyed at not having made the British driver number one earlier in the 2024 season? That’s why former Formula 1 team boss Günther Steiner says, “I would have done that.”
In the Formula 1 podcast “Beyond the Grid,” Steiner explains his position: “Of course I’m not trying to tell Andrea Stella what to do. But I always look at it this way: if you have the chance to win the constructors’ championship as a team, then logically it doesn’t matter who comes first and who comes second. But if you have the chance to win both championships in one year, then in my opinion you have to try.”
It is crucial to involve the second driver in this mission, Steiner continues. Oscar Piastri must feel included in such a discussion.
“Oscar is still a young man in his second season. [You should tell him:] ‘Your time will come. We will support you if you are in a similar position in the years to come.’ And even if he doesn’t agree, a team is always bigger than an individual,” says Steiner.
But that’s easier said than done. “I know that already. It will cause certain tensions. Because Oscar certainly won’t come out of the meeting happy if he’s just been told, ‘You can’t win,’ or, ‘You have to let your teammate pass.’ But sometimes success comes from dissatisfaction. And everything has its price.”
“But how disappointing would it be if Lando doesn’t become world champion for McLaren? I see it as a big goal for the hundreds of people who work at McLaren. And just because one team member wasn’t willing to give up something, that’s why the team isn’t winning the world championship? Then hundreds are unhappy with you. You have to consider that too.”
Especially since the importance of the drivers’ championship is greater today than it used to be, as Steiner adds: “Back then, the manufacturers were the ones supporting the racing series and the constructors’ title was more important. Now it’s more of a 50-50 split because Formula One has evolved. The drivers now have a higher profile and are the heroes again. That’s why it would be very important for a McLaren driver to win the world championship.”
Steiner believes: Verstappen is better than Norris
But the big opponent is Max Verstappen, whom Steiner considers to be the “best” Formula 1 driver at the moment. Reason: “He is young, he is very hungry for success, he is a racer and very talented. All of this together.”
“But you could say the same about Lewis Hamilton, who has won seven titles. Lewis is certainly a fantastic driver, but does he have the same hunger for success as Max? I don’t know,” says Steiner.
“Maybe Max will be different in five years. We don’t see the Max from four or five years ago anymore. He drives more calculatedly.”
Does that make him better than Norris in a direct comparison? Steiner answers in the affirmative and explains: “In terms of raw talent, Lando is just as strong. But is he as aggressive, as hungry for success? Would he do everything Max does to win? It’s the little things like that that make the difference. So if we’re talking about the complete race driver, then in my opinion Max is the best at the moment.”