McLaren believes now is the right time to offer Lando Norris full support in the Formula 1 title fight – but there will be no number one driver
McLaren have given the clearest indication yet that they are ready to go all out for Lando Norris’ title ambitions, although the team has so far shied away from introducing a stable order – which has attracted some criticism
However, with Red Bull and Max Verstappen falling behind, McLaren team principal Andrea Stella believes now is the time to take every opportunity to maximize Norris’ points tally.
Asked about Verstappen’s statement after the race in Monza that his title chances are now “unrealistic”, Stella says: “Max is good, even with his words. He is not only good on the track. Of course he knows that the car he is driving at the moment is giving him some challenges.”
“But we need to get better at taking advantage of the opportunities that Red Bull are giving us at the moment, as they can’t fight for podiums as usual. “
Stella: Norris has the better chances
Both Norris and his team-mate Oscar Piastri still have a mathematical chance of winning the title. However, with eight race weekends remaining, Norris is much closer with a 62-point deficit. That’s why you have to be realistic, says Stella, and support whoever has the most points.
“We are fighting against Max Verstappen, so I think if we want to support a driver, we have to choose the one who is in the best position,” says the team boss.
And he adds: “I also think Lando has driven very well. If anything, we just need to adjust a few small aspects of his race that could help him and us to make better use of a pole position like in Monza. If you look at his first race lap, maybe we’ll realize together that there were a few things we could have done a little better. “
Norris only finished the Italian Grand Prix in third place, with an aggressive maneuver by his teammate costing him the lead on the first lap. The race was ultimately won by Charles Leclerc in the Ferrari.
Still no number 1 driver at McLaren
However, even though McLaren is trying to “take a chance on the title with Lando”, Stella does not want to talk about a clear number 1 driver in the team. “I think the number one role works well as a headline, but in reality it’s hard to make that happen. What do you do then?” he asks.
“For example, let’s say hypothetically we come to the conclusion that Lando just braked too early at turn 4 and there was a natural opportunity for Oscar to take the lead, what does it mean if you’re number one? You swap the lap back afterwards?”
“It’s just very difficult to implement this definition in the real world,” says Stella. It would be better to continue working as a team, taking into account the opinions of both drivers and pursuing the goal in both championships together.
In this context, the McLaren team boss relies on Piastri’s understanding in the event of a stable order: “If you support your team-mate in winning the championship for the team, that is a huge boost. For example, if we win both championships, it benefits the whole team, even if he is the other driver,” emphasizes Stella.
“We mustn’t forget that Oscar is in the middle of his second season in Formula 1. The future belongs to him, it’s Oscar’s future. He has to make sure that he sees the support he gives to the team or Lando as an investment. “