Ever since the advent of the ground-effect regulations, Red Bull have obliterated the field. After two record-breaking years, the Austrian giants are ready to continue the immaculate run in 2o24. While Mercedes and Ferrari look to halt that juggernaut, fans have chosen their challenger for the season. That is McLaren with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.
The Race recently held fan polls on some pressing questions related to the ongoing affairs in F1. The online publication included a vote on the team that is likely to emerge as the biggest contender.
With over 160,000 votes in total, fans chose McLaren to be the worthy challenger to Red Bull and Max Verstappen’s dominance with 41% votes. Meanwhile, Mercedes garnered 34% votes while Ferrari got just 21%.
The Papaya team started the 2023 season on a surprisingly underwhelming note. They failed to meet expectations on the car’s development and the results reflected that.
However, as the season progressed, the engineers in Woking showed a better understanding of the concept and developed the car in that direction. Eventually, the MCL60 emerged as the fastest car after the RB19 and helped McLaren recover and register a P4 finish in the standings.
While McLaren carries a greater momentum to continue that run, Mercedes and Ferrari are eager to take their spot. Lewis Hamilton recently visited the Brackley factory and gave a positive review on the W15’s development. Meanwhile, unconfirmed reports from Maranello suggest a crucial breakthrough in engine development for them as well.
A lot will depend on Norris and Piastri’s dynamics, though, if McLaren are to keep the competition at bay. The duo shared cordial relations in 2023, but the same cannot be ensured in case the team manages to develop a championship-worthy car.
Can Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri work together for McLaren’s success?
Oscar Piastri completed a phenomenal rookie season with two podium finishes. The Aussie speedster also managed to win his first sprint race in Qatar.
While Lando Norris is still searching for his first win, he fared better than his teammate. The Briton registered seven podium finishes and locked the P6 in the standings, just one point behind Charles Leclerc and Fernando Alonso.
The young duo maintains a fierce approach when on the track with ambitions of collecting victories. Many experts tipped them to come at loggerheads even before Piastri raced his first with the team. The 22-year-old, however, has displayed maturity and patience not just in his drive but also in his demeanor.
Zak Brown feels Oscar Piastri is performing at such a level that you would not know he was an #F1 rookie.
“He’s extremely quick, he’s very mature, very technical, very calm, all the things you’d like to see out of a rookie…”#Formula1 #McLaren #MexicanGP pic.twitter.com/VcnSZlxDwv
— McLaren F1 News (@TheMcLarenZone) October 25, 2023
Despite that, the possibility of an intra-team rivalry can never be ruled out. There are countless examples of souring of relations between teammates once the team starts producing a winning car. The same happened with Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg, who shared friendly relations until the 2013 season.
The dynamic between Piastri and Norris could also change owing to the latter’s five-year-long association with McLaren. Norris has remained loyal to the team during tough times, even when he was linked with teams like Red Bull. Hence, the 24-year-old would expect the team to repay him by prioritizing him over his teammate.
