McLaren “have to put Lando Norris first” as Oscar Piastri has one key problem
McLaren “have to put Lando Norris first” as Oscar Piastri has one key problem
By beating Max Verstappen to win the Dutch Grand Prix at a canter, Lando Norris kept his slim F1 drivers’ title hopes alive and one former racer thinks McLaren have to make him their number one now
Lando Norris kept his drivers’ title hopes alive by winning the Dutch Grand Prix
McLaren have been told that now is the time to fully back Lando Norris’ slim hopes of a title charge this season.
The Briton’s victory and fastest lap last weekend at Zandvoort closed the gap slightly to championship leader Max Verstappen. But despite his eight-point gain on the Dutchman, Norris remains 70 adrift with just nine race weekends remaining.
McLaren have been reluctant up to now to pick a number one driver with Oscar Piastri also performing well. However, as Norris needs all the points he can get his hands on if he is to push Verstappen all the way, former racer Johnny Herbert believes the team has to make the call.
He told Poker Apps: “There is now a really important decision that needs to be made. They should back Lando now. The team has to put Lando first. They should be giving everything to him to go for the drivers’ championship. He has a chance, he has a shot at winning this championship this year.
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“They have said to him over the radio, you do need the team to help you win those races in the future – now it’s that time. The constructors’ championship will come their way if everything goes perfectly for them.
“Oscar is still doing a great job. He’s still collecting the haul of points that he needs. He’s going to be probably stronger in some races than others. But I have to say, Lando is the stronger one of two in every single race that we are going into.”
Piastri is also a race winner this season and sits fourth in the drivers’ standings. But he has 46 points fewer than Norris and that, Herbert asserts, is because the Australian is missing something that his more experienced team-mate has.
Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri sit second and fourth in the drivers’ standings respectively
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He added: “[Norris] is more complete and by that I mean he got pole position again, so he’s now being able to get a run off of those. Then his very impressive form. There’s always a little bit of a slow start. It was better in Zandvoort but he still lost out to Max from the start. That’s something that he and McLaren have got to try and fix.
“But he is mighty strong when it comes down to the end of the race. His performances over the last four or five races, or thereabouts have been so strong. Then it’s the consistency that he’s doing as well. Oscar’s doing a good job, but it’s not as anywhere near as consistent as Lando.
“Since Austria, Lando has probably gone up another level or two in performance. I know he was asked at the weekend whether he had a chance of winning the championship. And he said, ‘Oh, don’t be silly!’ I think belief will come from within, because I think that’s where that decision to back your man is very important and had to be made. Now it’s got to be down to supporting the man who’s going to be able to deliver.”
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