Formulation 1’s fashionable period is affected by examples of front-running groups paying an enormous value for sticking with two equal drivers.
As just lately as 2007, when McLaren fielded then-reigning world champion Fernando Alonso and rookie Lewis Hamilton, infighting noticed each drivers miss out on the title by a single level as Kimi Raikkonen snatched the crown with Ferrari.
Different infamous rivalries comparable to Senna/Prost (McLaren), Hamilton/Rosberg (Mercedes) and Webber/Vettel (Crimson Bull) had much less of an affect on the top consequence, as they happened in an period of dominance for his or her respective groups.
By numerous situations, nevertheless, they nonetheless led to the groups changing into destabilised and the motive force pairings finally being damaged up.
However whereas historical past would recommend having two numbers drivers fails to work out extra typically than it succeeds, McLaren CEO Zak Brown maintains issues can be totally different with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri can be totally different.
Each drivers have clinched their maiden grand prix wins earlier than the 2024 summer time break, cementing their standing as elite drivers on the grid.
Whereas Norris took an emotional win in Miami after a five-year wait, Piastri’s breakthrough win in Hungary got here after Norris was handed the lead throughout a spherical of pitstops and solely returned the place to the Australian on the very finish, with a much-delayed place swap which took a number of the shine away from Piastri’s first win.
Max Verstappen, Crimson Bull Racing RB20, Lando Norris, McLaren MCL38, Oscar Piastri, McLaren MCL38, go three broad into the primary nook
Picture by: Steve Etherington / Motorsport Images
Norris confirmed remorse for not returning the place earlier and the matter was addressed internally, however it was a primary glimpse of simply how uncomfortable issues may get sooner or later if McLaren continues to have a automotive able to securing extra 1-2 wins.
Talking completely to Autosport, Brown is adamant that McLaren’s group tradition is robust sufficient to outlive Norris and Piastri going toe to toe with one another, even when his personal group’s historical past books are stuffed with cautionary tales.
When requested why he believes having equal quantity ones will work out this time for McLaren, Brown replied: “Relationships, communication, and the 2 people that we’ve got.
“I imply, make no mistake about it. They each need to be quantity ones and so they are each quantity ones. We simply haven’t any quantity twos.
“However they race for the group. They’re the sorts of people I believe can race one another laborious and be primary in their very own thoughts and respect the truth that we run two primary automobiles. And we all the time have and all the time will.”
Brown did not rule out favouring one driver over the opposite as soon as there’s a drivers’ championship on the road, however with Norris trailing Max Verstappen by 78 factors, and Piastri one other 32 factors in arrears, that point hasn’t come but for McLaren.
“Clearly, in the event you get later into the championship and one driver has extra of a shot than one other, then you definately may begin taking a look at issues that you just do strategically otherwise,” he acknowledged.
Lando Norris, McLaren F1 Crew, Oscar Piastri, McLaren F1 Crew, third place, Zak Brown, CEO, McLaren Racing, the McLaren group have a good time after the race
Picture by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images
“However we deal with them equally. They know that, they take pleasure in that, and so they respect our choices after we generally must make some concessions. They’re very respectful of that. So I believe we’re lucky and fortunate to have the 2 people that we’ve got.”
Requested if managing Norris and Piastri would be the strongest check but of the group tradition that he and group principal Andrea Stella are attempting to construct, he stated: “I believe cultures form of construct themselves. You set the course and tone, however then you possibly can’t drive it.
“Andrea and I, and everybody right here, we’re racers. We’re truthful, we’re fairly aggressive in our pursuit for efficiency. However in a good, not win-at-all-costs manner.
“I believe that is how the group is as nicely, so it is an important storage atmosphere.”
