Ad-free F1 pod: Has McLaren got its Norris strategy wrong? (with special guest Will Buxton)
Added 2024-09-08 23:01:02 +0000 UTCEdd Straw is joined by Ben Anderson and F1 TV presenter and author Will Buxton for a lively edition of the pod in which - inspired by a video clip of Will that went viral on social media, gaining more than 1.6 million views - we debate whether McLaren should be actively favouring Lando Norris over Oscar Piastri, given the Briton's outside shot at the world title. The short- and long-term implications of such a move are discussed, but will our trio find a consensus position?
Comments
I really appreciate that Will stuck to his position that he's been pushing for the last few weeks. I'm also glad it appears that his view has been tempered by Ben's points about Norris not performing consistently enough at the level needed to warrant being favoured, especially as he had been so vitriolic about it. The next few races will tell us whether we have a WDC chase of the ages (since 1976!)
Alexander Law
2024-09-11 10:54:52 +0000 UTCstrongly disagree with Will here i think ben’s points are strong and like ben said like it or not, norris doesn’t deserve to win the wdc based on form this year! but then again, does that even matter? im not sure. if they don’t back him and he misses out by 10 points then thats on norris not mclaren.
Lachlan Cowan
2024-09-10 11:15:30 +0000 UTCAnother great podcast! A few thoughts from a fan: If Lando has had the fastest car since Miami, his failure to capitalize on it has hurt himself more than McLaren have hurt him. Does using team orders to keep a faster athlete behind a slower athlete to win the slower athlete a World Championship, hurt the sporting integrity and prestige of the championship?
John Westbrooks
2024-09-10 00:46:39 +0000 UTCI'm totally with Will on this. McLaren should be smarter with this and focus on 2024. If Oscar is as good as everyone thinks, he should help Lando win this year to be a team player, then blow his socks off next season when everything resets.
Oliver Warman
2024-09-09 12:22:15 +0000 UTCExcellent pod! I'm with Ben and Edd on this one but great debate guys.
Ryan Norrie
2024-09-09 08:51:57 +0000 UTCAbsolutely loved this podcast. Found myself agreeing with much of what Ben, Edd and Will all said. More of these types of Pods please. What this pod really highlighted to me was there's so many aspects/ moving parts/considerations to this. FWIW - I like Edd's suggestion, of giving LN the next 2 races to prove his mettle. And then take it from there.
Michael Holden
2024-09-09 05:20:12 +0000 UTCYeah, agree re: Lap 1 orders. That's more likely to end in tears, and you're playing with fate. I also think (it's an obvious point to make), McLaren must make the Constructor's Championship their absolute no.1 priority. But McLaren must surely want to try and win both Titles. Anyway, the biggest thing I learned from the pod is Sergio still has a chance to win the WDC 😉
Michael Holden
2024-09-09 05:14:28 +0000 UTCHi Michael - You’re right of course, I’m being a little lazy in my comment. For me, McLaren have more to lose by employing lap 1 team orders because an orchestrated approach in my view opens up a greater degree of potential for attack. It’s much more natural to say to a race driver ‘go for it just be sensible’. Tentative team play when the field is so tight just cannot work. I know we don’t like to be drawn by the commercial side of F1 and favour the more passionate side, but Zak as a marketing chap I’m sure knows the $$$ prize of securing the WCC - therefore why isolate one driver who is gathering momentum (Piastri) for the other remote WDC chance. Lastly I do agree that Lando all round today is the more complete driver - but trajectory into 2025 of both outright speed and race craft leads me to my simplistic comment that Oscar will win a WDC before Lando. Time will tell! A wonderful dilemma for a McLaren fan after years of excuses/regression! :)
Hywel Lewis
2024-09-09 01:31:20 +0000 UTCI kind of agree with your comments. If this was Round 1 of the 2025 Calendar, then yes, I think Oscar would more likely win the WDC before Lando, but even then, there's some caveats ... 1. I think Lando's best is currently still better than Oscar's best. Of course, Lando is a lot more inconsistent than Oscar, and errs too often. But if Lando irons his consistency out, then Oscar might find he's pipped for a WDC Title. 2. Point 1 is still a rather moot point. No one knows just how much better Oscar will get. Even if Lando sorts his errors out, it still might not be good enough. However, my 2 points, and I'm guessing your comment, is looking forward. Oscar will not win the 2024 WDC, and its very unlikely Lando will either - though he still does have a chance. And hence, we shouldn't "move on" - just yet - because, as this podcast highlights, there are some who believe McLaren should be doing all they can to try and help Lando win 2024. I'm not saying I agree with this, but it does mean Lando could win a WDC before Oscar.
Michael Holden
2024-09-09 00:54:27 +0000 UTCFrom my view f1 is 10 teams of engineers receiving the same list of requirements and restrictions, and then attempting to make a superior car to the other 9 teams. That is the competition. Everything around that is in support of that goal, including finance, marketing, HR, ect. I say this not to diminish these essential roles, but I see them as fundamentally supportive to the competition. The drivers are employees like the rest of the supporting roles. They are test drivers hired to provide feedback on the car and then demonstrate its peak performance consistently during events. They certainly serve as an immediate bottleneck for points, but why inflate that supporting role by giving preferential treatment to one employee who is performing at the same level as another employee? Certainly when that employee behaves like a child stomping his foot on the ground as Lando did in Hungary. I always find it odd that people see the team as the supporting cast for the driver rather than the other way around.
ChildrenOfTheConch
2024-09-09 00:40:18 +0000 UTCThis guy...
ChildrenOfTheConch
2024-09-09 00:16:10 +0000 UTCGreat episode, really interesting debate and would love to see more of this.
Kieron Holden
2024-09-08 23:15:31 +0000 UTCEasy money; Piastri will win a world title before Lando - move on
Hywel Lewis
2024-09-08 23:13:25 +0000 UTC
