Should Piastri Sacrifice F1 Glory for Norris' Title Hopes?

McLaren's team principal, Andrea Stella, is receiving well-deserved recognition for his role in the team's significant improvement over the past year and a half. Stella's steady leadership has been crucial to McLaren's transformation, and he has maintained a remarkable balance between supporting both his drivers while fostering harmony and diplomacy within the team.

However, with the second half of the season approaching, McLaren has a chance, though perhaps a small one, to compete for both the drivers' and constructors' championship titles. This introduces a new dynamic to Stella's leadership.

Despite Lando Norris's recent win at the Dutch Grand Prix, he downplayed the possibility of winning the drivers' championship this year, calling it "pretty stupid" to consider given Max Verstappen's substantial lead of 70 points. Yet, the reality is that Norris is indeed in contention.

Red Bull, however, sees Norris as a legitimate threat. Helmut Marko, Red Bull's motorsport advisor, expressed concern over Norris's victory, labeling it "alarming" for both Red Bull and Verstappen. Verstappen's recent performance, with no wins in the last five races, has made him appear vulnerable for the first time since his 2021 championship win, casting doubt on his ability to consistently secure significant points in each remaining race.

Stella, for now, remains hesitant to place all of McLaren's focus on Norris's championship bid, choosing instead to continue supporting both Norris and his teammate, Oscar Piastri.

"We always have conversations around team orders - from race one," Stella explained. "Because you always want to enter a race having clarity as to how we are going to manage the internal competition between the two drivers."

Stella elaborated on McLaren's approach to managing its drivers, emphasizing fairness and integrity as core principles. He stated, "In general, our approach is to be fair, to have integrity in the way we go racing and I keep saying that I've known no driver that wants to be number one on a contract."

Stella believes drivers earn the number one spot through their on-track performance. "Drivers want to be number one because they are fast on track and then when you are fast on track, definitely, you want to be supported by the team, when it's a 50/50 decision or when the team can assist," he said.

Looking at the remaining nine races, Stella is wary of designating a number one driver, questioning the implications of such a move. "We have nine races ahead of us, and if we created a number one driver, then what do we do? All the favour to the number one driver? This is not a healthy way of running a team," Stella asserted.

While McLaren is committed to fairness, Stella acknowledges the need for strategic decisions based on race circumstances. "But for every race, we will analyse the situations, and in the 50/50 situations, or in those cases in which - in this case, Lando may need a bit of extra support from the team - we are going to give it. But the team includes Oscar," Stella emphasized.

McLaren's commitment to treating both drivers equally is admirable. However, with Norris emerging as a potential championship contender, some believe the team should shift its strategy and utilize Piastri in a supporting role to maximize Norris's chances.

When Piastri was asked if he would be willing to support Norris's championship aspirations, his response hinted at his personal ambition. "If I can get into second, then obviously that makes life a little bit more straightforward for the team," he said. "But... I mean, I'm not going to do anything specific to try and make that happen. I want to try and win the race myself. Let's see what I can try and do."

This season already saw McLaren request a driver swap during the Hungarian Grand Prix, allowing Piastri to secure his first F1 victory while Norris relinquished a potential seven points. The question remains whether those seven points could prove crucial in the championship battle.

McLaren is in unfamiliar territory, contending for wins and championships. This presents a learning curve for the team, requiring them to adapt and make strategic decisions. Past champions like Verstappen, Hamilton, and Schumacher all benefited from team orders and teammate cooperation at some point in their careers, suggesting that McLaren may need to consider a similar approach.

Given Verstappen's recent dip in form and his seemingly strained relationship with teammate Sergio Perez, having Piastri adopt a supporting role could give Norris a crucial advantage in the championship fight. Ultimately, the decision lies with McLaren, but the stakes are high. Should they prioritize their team values over potentially missing a rare opportunity to secure a world championship?

While upholding a diplomatic stance is commendable, ending the season with drivers in second and third place might be perceived as a missed opportunity if a title was within reach. Though Piastri may resist, a strategic shift, requiring Stella's careful management, might be necessary. It may be time for Piastri to support Norris's bid for the F1 World Championship.