McLaren is targeting Red Bull Racing.
They are 42 points behind the World Championship leaders, but they believe they can close this gap in just one weekend. David Croft thinks McLaren and other teams should use team orders more often to put pressure on Max Verstappen and Red Bull.
This is the first time since 2010 that McLaren has a real shot at the Formula 1 World Championship. Back then, Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton were driving for them. They could have been closer this season if not for a few mistakes. These errors cost them wins in races like Canada, Spain, and Austria.
Lando Norris is currently 78 points behind in the Drivers’ World Championship. This gap could have been smaller if McLaren had kept him in the lead during the Hungarian Grand Prix. Norris also made some crucial mistakes, like at the start in Belgium. But David Croft from Sky Sports feels things might change soon.
How Other Teams Can Apply More Pressure on Red Bull’s Decision:
During the summer break, Christian Horner told Red Bull Racing staff that Perez would stay after the break. Despite criticism over Perez’s performance, he remains with the team. Croft believes this could backfire if other teams start using team orders.
“Strategically speaking, I think we’re close to seeing regular team orders,” Croft said on the Sky Sports podcast. “If Oscar is second to Lando, then Oscar needs to support his teammate because we need to prioritize him. Perez knows his role; he’s always been second to Max since he signed.”
Croft added, “In two or three races, if Max’s lead shrinks, we’ll see more team orders and less variety in race outcomes. This will make Red Bull’s decision not to replace Perez even more critical.”
Fans might think this news brings an exciting twist to the championship race.
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Do you think McLaren can catch up with Red Bull?
