No Spa break allowed as leading men bid to reassert dominance at Belgian Grand Prix
07/25/2024 02:15 PM
McLaren go into the Belgian Grand Prix with a rather fragile driver dynamic, despite last weekend's one-two sweep. Lando Norris was mightily miffed to have to concede the lead to team-mate – and first time GP winner – Oscar Piastri.
Meanwhile, their rivals Red Bull had their own star driver in a mardy and Max Verstappen's mood at Spa-Francorchamps won't have improved as he is set to be given a ten-place grid penalty for exceeding his engine allocation.
It doesn't mean the Dutchman can't win, however. While his fifth place last week was well below target, Spa is a completely different circuit to Hungary.
Plus, Max has form when it comes to starting on the back foot here – the team can choose where to take their engine penalty, and they'll chosen Spa because it's one of the easiest places on the calendar to overtake.
They did exactly the same here in 2022, when he was quickest on Saturday but started 14th and went on to win by 18 seconds, and 2023 when he was dropped five places on the grid to P6 and won by 22 seconds.
Those were more dominant times for Red Bull, however. Max may be leading the standings by 76 points, but Norris is catching. The reigning champ has been beaten in the last three rounds – something we haven't seen in three years.
Max needs to patch up his relationship with race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase after his constant and largely unbroadcastable radio complaints in Hungary.
Lando, who argued with his race engineer too over whether he should give back position to Piastri after gaining an advantage in the pitstops, will be expected to re-establish his reputation as a team player.
However, he faces a quandary: If Verstappen continues to slip down the order, can Lando mount a title challenge and will those seven points he gave up last week prove crucial?
Also, has he been a pushover? If he'd refused to yield, would McLaren have turned against him? Certainly in the past, when Red Bull ordered Verstappen and Sebastian Vettel to move over for their team-mates and they refused, that team seemed to love them even more.
There was nothing friendly about Lando in the podium green room in Hungary, when he got very prickly with Lewis Hamilton. The sport's senior statesman, who finished third, merely complimented him on the speed of his car, yet Lando bit back: 'Well, you had a fast car seven years ago. You made the most of it, and now it's us.'
So, no more Mr Nice Norris.
Asked if he'd have disobeyed team orders in Lando's position, Daniel Ricciardo reckons no. 'It would fracture the relationship, not only with the team but with Oscar,' he says. 'There's still half a season to go. There will be times when Lando might need to lean on Oscar.'
The news former Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto will lead the Audi-Sauber squad has thrown more unknowns the Swiss-German outfit's way.
Audi is fully entering F1 next year with a big budget and bigger ambitions, but it's bought a team that currently has zero championship points.
Audi still lacking a clear plan
Binotto takes over from Andreas Seidl after 19 months and very poor results in the role. Oliver Hoffman, previously chairman of the board and a long-time Audi engineering executive, has also been removed.
So far, Nico Hulkenberg is the only driver confirmed for next year. He says the decision to change leadership is a surprise but not a concern. '[It is] a bit of a shock. The fact that two people closely involved in signing me are not there anymore is a bit sad,' he said.
'The fact [Audi] are taking action means they are involved, invested in it, and hands-on. And that's positive news.'
Carlos Sainz Jr, who is weighing up an offer from the team, says the arrival of his former boss Binotto won't influence his decision. 'Mattia's arrival is good news for them, but it's not going to have too much influence on my future.' A sign, perhaps, that his sights are elsewhere.
Wolves out for Esteban
Esteban Ocon will move to Haas next year on a multi-year deal, it was announced yesterday.
Meanwhile, his Alpine is getting a new paint job and he'll wear a helmet inspired by Wolverine this weekend. The Anglo-French team is promoting Marvel movie Deadpool & Wolverine, with team-mate Pierre Gasly modelling a Deadpool crash hat.
The film stars Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds, the latter being a shareholder in the Alpine team.
MORE : Lando Norris apologises to Oscar Piastri after 'stupid' behaviour 'clouded over' first F1 win
