McLaren

I hope it DOES. They deserve it.

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Oscar Piastri has ‘No.1 contract’ at McLaren with no ‘help Lando’ clause, claims Rosberg

https://www.planetf1.com/news/oscar-piastri-no1-contract-mclaren-with-no-help-lando-clause-nico-rosberg

 

Maybe they forgot to tell Lando Norris ?

 

Norris needs to win by beating Oscar on the track, not by the team forcing Oscar back. Norris has not done that. Norris has left too many points on the table with start mistakes etc. He is not exuding WDC prowess. Oscar has every right to resist any team orders implementation. Its not what Norris is not told, but what he has not done. Norris has finished behind Oscar 3 of the last 4 races. Oscar is on a consistent improving trajectory. He is making Norris look weaker lol. Yes yes team blah blah blah. But Oscar is a better racer already in his 2nd season.

 

That is all true. But that doesn’t change the fact that a WDC carries much more marketing weight than a WCC for the team. Oscar has proven his point - he is very competitive, but facts are facts, he can’t win the championship even though it might be a mathematical possibility. Anyone can see that Lando is the horse to back. The team need to have a grown up conversation and stop being so woke about it.

 

If Horner was TP at Mclaren, Piastri would have moved over the other race and also in Monza. Points would be much tighter. Horner is cut throat, win at all cost. Sometimes you need a TP like that.

 

I consider F1 to be a drivers championship first, so I prefer a situation where there are no team orders, no #1 and #2.
The great duels of the past (Lauda-Prost, Prost-Senna, Mansell-Piquet, etc ..) happened in teams that let their drivers race.

 

they really do have two #1 drivers!

let's not forget Lando's poor racecraft (aided by Max's poor defense) cost Lando a podium, if not a win, at Austria. he lost at least 15 points in that race.

I still say Oscar is McLaren's future and Lando will be out of that team sooner than later.

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Since Monaco, Piastri has scored the most points than any other driver.....even Max...by 2 points.

 

I like Piastri and Lando. But things is... Like @DF1 said... Lando has to win it. He can't be given it by the team. He has race and be a champion. I think the first step would be not lose your lead by the end of the first lap.

 

Agreed. His P1 launches have been less than perfect. He needs to find that sweet spot on the clutch-bite-point and not overrev coming up the gears.

 

I’m not sure one or the other is necessarily more the future for McLaren, but I sense more mental instability from Lando than Oscar. Lando seems like he can get rattled much easier than Oscar, a quality that I would definitely notice as a team principal.

 

Agreed. Oscar is definitely more poised, given his age, out of the car when talking to the commentators. No problems with Oscar while in the car....he's still learning. Webber picked a good aussie for an F1 seat.

 

Good points. Yes fans prefer racing. Teams and sponsors prefer winning.

 

The Constructors Championship only started in 1958, several years after the Drivers Championship.
The WCC importance began when Bernie decided to redistribute moneys according to its ranking.
Initially, only the FIRST car of any contructor could score points in any GP, including private entries.
Thus, Rob Walker"s wins with Moss and Siffert went to Lotus, for example.
That changed later when teams were mandated to enter 2 cars only, and customer teams were banned.
Now the WCC is a big thing because of its financial relevance, but the public mostly remembers the WDC.

I have asked several times to US participants on this forum, it team orders were common in Indycar.
Some Indycar teams have 3 or 4 drivers, with different sponsors.
I wonder if teams give preferential treatment to some of their drivers, or let them sort it out on the track.

 

generally IndyCar teams are "let them race but don't hit each other" (papaya rules is nothing new ), unless there's a championship on the line or something else (rookie of the year, Leader Circle money, etc)

that said I do think some IndyCar teams do take a Number One driver mentality from time to time. most clearly this season, that's...McLaren with Pato O'Ward.

 

Lando has proven to be a inconsistent and weaker driver lacking any killer instinct thus far. He is not at all beating Oscar as he should. His gifted team status is slap in the face to the competition he must endure. I understand the team play for this in terms of the WDC. Lando is a horse and fairly lame as WDC material goes. He is becoming less impressive as time goes on. If he was capable he would have closed the door on Oscar. No thanks - no team orders - let them race. Maybe in Baku Mclando will shut up and drive and start working the program as a concerted, determined and focused driver. His problem is right across the garage and when the lights go out. He has left toooooooooooooooooooooooooo many point laying around. No excuse. 3 of the last 4 races Lando has not beaten Oscar. Yes he is so dominant. Thats bad timing to say the least.

 

I get the Piastri love, I really do - he is doing an excellent job at this point in the season. But facts are facts - he is 44 points behind Lando. Over 100 points behind Max. He is out of the wdc race this year whether he likes it or not. If he was such a mega talent, he should be ahead of Lando, but he isn’t.

My point is not about which driver is the better. My point is simply that McLaren, as a team, have the chance to win the wdc, but their woke attitude to pandering to irrelevant technicalities will likely cost them dearly.

 

Let's see where they finish the season.

 

I think Max's advantage in the WDC is pretty unsurmountable. it might be a nail biter but I think it's unlikely he loses it without a streak of non-points finishes. He's finished out of the points once in the last 56 races (!)

Oscar getting 3rd or even 2nd seems far more likely. as does McLaren getting the WCC

 

It's the same as in F1. Some Indycar teams allow their drivers to race, while others have strict team orders.

As an example, Chip Ganassi demands his drivers not race each other hard, while teams like Andretti let them race to the point of colliding with each other.

OTOH, all teams will bring in team orders during championship battles.

 

Oscar is on the ascent and Lando seems rattled. It wouldn't surprise me to see Oscar P2 and Lando P3 in the WDC. BTW Go Charles!

 

If Lando focuses on his starts, he can stay in front. If he keeps blowing them, he rightfully loses his team position to Piastri. For McLaren to win the WCC this year, gives them the perfect step to win it all next year...with Piastri winning the WDC.

 

+1 but now we have this out today - Operative "if required" -- Love to see how thats defined with Mark Webber lol.

Piastri agrees to back Norris as McLaren makes 2024 F1 title fight team orders call
McLaren team boss Andrea Stella says Australian driver has agreed he would give up a “painful” victory to aid Norris’s bid to topple Verstappen, if required