MOTORSPORT – MCLAREN had always said that it would be a matter of “when” and not “if” when it came to the likelihood of a collision between their two drivers. This was based on the fact that the team has a clear policy to allow Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri to race each other. It’s a commendable position, which reflects the ethos of a team which puts fairness front and centre and it’s also great for the fans. But it comes with some risk, albeit a known one and something that the team had prepared for. Both drivers are in a championship tussle, which involves fighting for every point possible at every race. Given they are the two fastest cars on the grid and occupy the top two spots in the championship, it was always likely that an incident could occur.
And so it was, on lap 67 of 70 in Montreal that Norris clattered into the back of his teammate, sending his front wing flying, ending his race, his hopes for a podium in Canada and placing a dent in his championship ambitions. The ensuing safety car also put an end to any hope that Piastri could fight his way for a top three finish. What was perhaps most frustrating was that until that point he had driven a promising race. He had fought from seventh on the starting grid to fourth and was consistently the fastest car on track. There had also been a fair but enthralling fight between the two drivers in the preceding laps. The race was well set up for a grandstand conclusion, but Norris’ lunge, into a gap that wasn’t there, put an end to that.
Perhaps most telling was Norris’ immediate response to the incident. “Sorry. It’s all my bad,” was the team radio message. No need to consult his race engineer, or digest events and discuss with his PR to craft an appropriate response. His openness is an admirable quality and has always been his way of managing the good and the bad. It’s fair to say that not every driver on the grid shares that ethos. Some see it as a weakness. Whatever the case, there will be the inevitable debriefs and reflections back in Woking prior to the next round in Austria at the end of the month. McLaren can be consoled by the fact that they still have a healthy position in both championships. Piastri commands a 22-point lead from Norris, whilst Max Verstappen is a further 21 points back in third. It’s even rosier in the team standings, with a healthy 175-point lead to Mercedes. That will provide some comfort in the short term. However, the closer we get to the business end of the season, McLaren may well have to adjust its position. At what stage, if any, should they be prioritising one driver over another if one individual builds a significant lead in the fight for the championship? And how does that match with the overall ethos of the team? Zak Brown has recently talked of how they keep a tally when one driver helps another, with a view to ensuring support is evened out over a period. Time will tell on how the team responds.
In the short term, however, it will be all about how Norris comes back from this setback. Team boss Andrea Stella promised the team would throw their arms around him, acknowledging that his confidence will have taken a hit. As F1 begins an intense European stretch before the summer break, there will be plenty of opportunities for Norris to make amends.
Three doors down in the paddock, the mood was markedly different. George Russell completed a pole to flag victory and his teammate Kimi Antonelli achieved his first ever podium, finishing third. It was George Russell’s fourth victory in F1 and the team’s first since Las Vegas last year. It was a faultless drive that reflected both his maturity as a driver and the recent improvements to his car. Antonelli also showed remarkable maturity, not least given he was surrounded by drivers with far more experience of this particular circuit. His overtake of Piastri on lap one was the key for him, positioning him well for the rest of the race. At just 18 years old, this feels like the first of many podiums for the Italian.
One final, somewhat intriguing, element came in the post-race Press conference. Russell made a passing joke that he is currently without a contract for next year. There have been some media reports that the delay from Mercedes is because there are conversations with Max Verstappen about a shock move away from Red Bull. All this is very much just rumor, but this victory may well help focus the minds of the decision makers at Mercedes.
* Laurence Jones is senior manager, Marketing and Communications, Bahrain International Circuit
l.jones@bic.com.bh
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