Having the best driver lineup on the grid, McLaren proudly paraded its extremely adept talent in Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. However, since the car became championship-worthy, the two have frequently battled each other on the track. Another tussle could be on the cards at the Dutch GP this weekend, with Norris starting on pole ahead of Piastri in P3.
Things will surely get interesting in Zandvoort because Norris will find Piastri in his mirrors at the race start. For Piastri, everything is up for grabs. But with Norris’ infamous record of losing his lead before the first corner of the race, will Piastri be allowed to fight for the win? McLaren says have fun.
“Try and make sure it’s a 1-2 tomorrow.” #DutchGP pic.twitter.com/6AufCRNIJR
— McLaren (@McLarenF1) August 24, 2024
While the team has given its blessings for juicy teammate-teammate action, Norris knows his weakness. Admitting to Speedcafe, he declared, “Starts have not been my forte over the last probably…” While also realizing that it’s not all bad, Norris added, “I’m still up there with being one of the best average starters, I’ve just missed out on a couple of races and maybe slightly worse than what it’s been over the course of a season.”
While Norris works to fix his starts, Piastri understands the importance of overtaking opportunities in a circuit like Zandvoort. One is the race start. “If I can get myself into the lead, that works well for me. The start is always a good opportunity to make up ground if you can”
The Aussie is determined to make the most of his second-row start while Norris fights to wash off his bad-start juju—two different approaches for the ultimate advantage. With McLaren leaving each man for himself, one important directive is in place.
McLaren has one rule for Norris and Piastri
It’s the golden rule of F1: Don’t crash into your teammate. Piastri shared the communications within the team: “The rules [of engagement] are very, very clear and haven’t changed. We’re free to race each other to try and win”
Just 42 points behind Red Bull in the constructor’s championship, this is new ground for the current McLaren team. Being so close to glory, there is a lot to risk, and the drivers have been made well aware of that. While Norris has a 78-point deficit in his race to catch Verstappen, it seems like the team has made their priorities apparent.
With Norris also acknowledging “literally the only rule” he needs to know, it will be fascinating to see how the two zealous McLaren drivers make use of the freedom handed to them at the Dutch GP.
