F1: Should McLaren prioritize Norris over Piastri in the face of Verstappen’s threat?

Is it Time to Prioritize Norris? McLaren Faces the Championship Challenge

The recent disqualification of McLaren in Las Vegas has reignited a crucial question: Should the team favor one of its drivers, Lando Norris, over Oscar Piastri, in the fight for the championship? Max Verstappen’s victory in the Las Vegas Grand Prix, added to McLaren’s technical penalty, has intensified the competition. The situation is reminiscent of 2007, when an internal battle between teammates may have cost McLaren the title. Lando Norris arrives at the Qatar Grand Prix, a sprint weekend with 33 points at stake, with a 24-point lead over Verstappen and his teammate Piastri. Norris can secure the title by finishing third in the remaining three races, but the presence of Verstappen, four-time champion, complicates the picture. The debate centers on whether McLaren should prioritize Norris to secure the championship. The team’s philosophy, led by CEO Zak Brown, has always been to allow its drivers to compete fairly. Brown prefers that his drivers compete to the fullest and that the championship be decided on the track, rather than imposing team orders.

“I’d rather we say, ‘We did the best we could and our drivers tied on points and the other one beat us by one’ than the alternative, which is to tell one of our drivers right now, when they are one point apart, ‘I know you have the dream of winning the world championship, but we flipped a coin and you can’t do it this year’”.

Zak Brown

The 2007 experience, where the rivalry between Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton allowed Kimi Räikkönen to win the title, is a constant reminder. Brown insists that he wouldn’t change his approach, even if the result were similar. McLaren’s strategy contrasts with that of other teams that have implemented team orders. Andrea Stella, team principal, has witnessed the negative effects of these orders and is determined to avoid them. Ferrari’s history with Michael Schumacher is a clear example of this. McLaren’s decision not to impose team orders is based on trust in its drivers and the belief that fair competition is the best way to win the championship. The team trusts that Norris and Piastri can compete at the highest level and that the best driver will be the one to take the title.

The Qatar Grand Prix presents an additional challenge. The team might be forced to sacrifice performance to avoid technical problems, which could affect their strategy. With 33 points at stake, Verstappen could reach the final with the advantage in the championship. Zak Brown and Andrea Stella remain firm in their position. However, the pressure increases as the end of the season approaches. McLaren could be accused of not making the necessary decisions to secure the championship. The history of Formula 1 shows that teams that have won the constructors’ championship without winning the drivers’ championship are few. McLaren has no excuses if it repeats this situation. McLaren’s final decision could define the outcome of the championship. The possibility of Verstappen winning the title could raise doubts about the team’s strategy. Without a doubt, the fight for the Formula 1 championship promises an exciting end to the season.