McLaren seemed set for a dominant result at the 2024 Italian GP with a front-row lockout. However, the first lap incident between their drivers, Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris potentially cost them a race win. The duo finished second and third respectively, with Charles Leclerc winning for Ferrari in front of their home crowd at Monza.
Many factors contributed to the Woking-based team losing out on winning the race. Their tire degradation was worse than on the SF-24 which allowed Leclerc to be on the faster one-stop strategy. But the damage could have been minimized if the team had taken a stricter stance on backing Norris for the win as per former McLaren mechanic, Marc Priestley.
The team gave up the chance to orchestrate a clear lead at the start of the race when Piastri overtook his teammate and left him in the clutches of Leclerc. No clear team orders from the McLaren pit wall made things difficult for them. Priestley explained on his YouTube channel,
“For me, McLaren needed to be clearer much earlier on about backing Lando Norris for a potential championship fight.”
LAP 1 / 53
PIASTRI TAKES THE LEAD!!
The Australian sweeps around Norris at the della Roggia chicane to lead the field!!
Leclerc also squeezes past into second, sparking jubilation in the stands! #F1 #ItalianGP pic.twitter.com/ViptiU4v5v
— Formula 1 (@F1) September 1, 2024
Norris currently sits second in the drivers’ standings with a 62-point deficit to Max Verstappen. With only eight races remaining, McLaren needs to help the Briton take as many points off Verstappen as possible whilst Red Bull is still struggling with the RB20.
The Woking outfit have decided to internally discuss the matter of team orders going into the Azerbaijan GP weekend.
Norris himself was not too happy about how his race in Monza panned out. While he did give credit to Piastri for his race pace, there were undertones of disappointment in his comments about the Australian’s lap 1 maneuver.
Piastri got too close for comfort
When speaking to the media after the race, the #4 driver did not confront the prospect of Piastri affecting his championship fight. That being said, Norris did concede that their lap 1 incident could have turned out very badly for them both.
McLaren says it will review Oscar Piastri’s lap one pass on Lando Norris in the #ItalianGP to see if it complied with its ‘Payapa Rules’.https://t.co/e4yXail4yl#F1
— Jon Noble (@NobleF1) September 1, 2024
Formula1.com quoted Norris as explaining, “I feel like he got way too close for comfort – we both easily could have been out in that corner if I braked one metre later. Obviously if I could rewind I would do stuff slightly differently, but it is what it is. Oscar drove a good race.”
The British driver has himself struggled with having bad starts despite starting from pole. However, he had a good start in Monza and covered Piastri’s threat into the first chicane.
The moment where Norris made an error was leaving the door open and not stamping his authority over the Aussie at the entry into the second chicane. Piastri took full advantage and caught the #4 driver napping to pull off a stunning move around the outside.
