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Formula 1: Should McLaren reverse course after Baku decision?

BBG News

As a seasoned gamer who’s spent countless hours navigating virtual racetracks and grand prix seasons, I can’t help but feel a twinge of excitement as I watch the real-life F1 drama unfold. The seesaw battle between McLaren and Red Bull, the young guns Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri battling it out for supremacy – it’s a race fan’s dream come true!

McLaren delivered an impressive performance throughout Baku, seizing the lead in the constructor championship from Red Bull, which had held the top spot for 55 consecutive races. While many had anticipated this shift, team heads Zak Brown and Andrea Stella chose to support Lando Norris’ pursuit of his first world title even before the weekend began.

Despite a mistake from the British racer in qualifying that placed him 17th and 15th for the race, he performed admirably and moved up to 4th position. However, he was only able to outpace Max Verstappen by three points. With merely seven races remaining this season, Norris trails Verstappen by 59 points, which means he needs to earn at least 8.43 points per race weekend, a challenging objective.

Given Norris’s challenging upcoming assignment, one might wonder if team orders are still indispensable. With Oscar Piastri performing exceptionally well this season, as demonstrated by his latest win in Baku, it’s certainly tough to ask him to emulate Valtteri Bottas when Norris is far from being a Lewis Hamilton.

Is it time to remove team orders already?

Stella maintains that our goal is to win both titles, but it appears that following “Papaya Rules” could be more advantageous. For Norris, it’s doubtful he can claim the world championship unless he consistently delivers outstanding performances while Verstappen experiences race retirements (DNFs).

Since Piastri is now significantly ahead of Norris compared to how Norris fares against Verstappen, it would be reasonable for Piastri to strive to close the gap with his teammate in the championship standings. Given that he outscored Norris by 12 points during the recent race in Baku and has finished higher than his teammate in six of the last eight races, there’s a strong possibility that Piastri could secure the second spot in the final rankings for this season.

After the Singapore Grand Prix at Marina Bay this weekend, the leader of McLaren may reconsider the team’s position in both championships. If Piastri consistently leads Norris once more, disregarding team instructions might be advantageous for the team.

Over the past several months, Norris has had numerous chances to surpass Verstappen in points and victories, yet he’s only managed to do so once at Zandvoort. In fact, it seems that the responsibility for this pattern lies with Norris, as he consistently fails to hold his leads from pole position following the first lap.

Winning this year’s constructor championship by McLaren is certain to fuel the determination of both drivers as they aim for the driver title. This season offers valuable lessons for Stella, Brown, Norris, and Piastri, which will equip them better to tackle the future challenges posed by Red Bull, Ferrari, and Mercedes.

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2024-09-21 13:32

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