McLaren and Ferrari send warnings….and Isola against Norris….read more
With just a few races left in the 2024 Formula 1 season, McLaren and Ferrari have issued warnings to their competitors as the grid heads to the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) for the US Grand Prix. McLaren, currently leading the Constructors’ Championship, is aiming to extend their advantage, while Ferrari continues to push for improvement in their ongoing rivalry.
McLaren’s team principal, Andrea Stella, emphasized their focus on maintaining their momentum. Although McLaren leads in the constructors’ standings, Lando Norris remains behind Max Verstappen in the Drivers’ Championship. One of the challenges for McLaren will be motivating Oscar Piastri to assist Norris without negatively impacting the team dynamic. Referring to the infamous 2007 season when McLaren’s internal rivalry between Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton allowed Kimi Raikkonen to win the title, Piastri’s race engineer, Tom Stallard, stressed the importance of avoiding such a scenario.
McLaren’s former drivers, Jenson Button and Gerhard Berger, have also voiced their opinions, advocating for the team to prioritize Norris in the remaining races. However, Berger warned that the team might regret not taking this approach sooner, as the fight for the Drivers’ Championship tightens in the final stages of the season.
Meanwhile, Ferrari is gearing up for a strong showing in the US Grand Prix. Team principal Frederic Vasseur expressed confidence in his drivers, Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, as they continue to chase better results. Leclerc, celebrating his 27th birthday, and Sainz are eager to perform well in the upcoming tripleheader, starting at COTA.
Additionally, former Haas team principal Guenther Steiner gave an exclusive interview, stating that Formula 1’s presence in the United States is more significant than having an American driver. Following Logan Sargeant’s exit from Williams, F1 is without a US driver, but Steiner believes that with three Grands Prix in the country, the sport’s presence is secure in the world’s largest economy.
Mario Isola, head of Pirelli, also spoke exclusively about the challenges surrounding tyres in the upcoming season. He shared insights on the feedback Pirelli has received from top drivers like Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen, noting that tyre performance is always a key factor in race outcomes.
As the season heads into its final tripleheader, every point will be crucial for both teams and drivers, with McLaren and Ferrari pushing hard to secure their positions in the championship standings.
