Jenson Button’s Plea: McLaren Must Focus on Norris to Challenge

Jenson Button’s Plea: McLaren Must Focus on Norris to Challenge Verstappen

Jenson Button has called on McLaren to fully commit to supporting Lando Norris in his pursuit of the Formula 1 drivers’ championship, urging the team to make him their clear number one driver. With Norris currently 52 points behind reigning champion Max Verstappen and only six races left, Button believes McLaren needs to take decisive action. This includes prioritizing Norris over his teammate, Oscar Piastri, to give him the best possible chance of challenging Verstappen for the title. Button’s plea comes ahead of the United States Grand Prix in Austin, where McLaren will be hoping to capitalize on their recent form to keep the pressure on Red Bull.

McLaren has already indicated that they will “bias” their race strategies towards Norris as the season winds down. However, they have stopped short of officially declaring him their number one driver. This hesitation may stem from the fact that Piastri, a rookie in Formula 1 this season, has shown considerable promise and secured his first career victory at the Qatar Grand Prix. Despite Piastri’s impressive performances, Button is adamant that McLaren must give Norris every possible advantage if they are serious about mounting a title challenge against Verstappen.

Button’s argument draws on historical precedent, as he compares Norris’ situation to that of Michael Schumacher during his time at Ferrari. In the early 2000s, Ferrari made Schumacher their clear priority, focusing all their resources and strategy around him. This allowed Schumacher to dominate the sport, winning five consecutive drivers’ titles between 2000 and 2004. Button suggests that if McLaren were to take a similar approach and fully back Norris, they might have a better chance of toppling Verstappen, who has been the dominant force in F1 this season.

Verstappen, driving for Red Bull, has been in supreme form, securing his third consecutive drivers’ championship. His combination of talent and the superior Red Bull car has made him a difficult opponent to beat, and Norris is well aware of the challenge that lies ahead. However, Button’s point is that McLaren can still influence the outcome of the remaining races by making Norris their primary focus. This would involve adjusting their strategies to favor him in qualifying and races, ensuring he has the best possible chance to close the gap to Verstappen.

Norris has had a strong season, showing consistency and skill in his performances, but he has often found himself battling Verstappen in the race for podium finishes. While McLaren has made significant strides in improving their car throughout the season, it is still clear that they are not quite on the same level as Red Bull. To overcome this, Button believes that McLaren must go all-in on Norris, rather than trying to split their focus between both drivers.

Oscar Piastri’s emergence has certainly made things more complicated for McLaren. The young Australian has shown he is capable of competing at the highest level, and his recent success in Qatar has raised questions about whether McLaren should continue to invest equally in both drivers. Nevertheless, with so few races left in the season, Button argues that McLaren needs to make a decision now and fully commit to backing Norris if they want to challenge Verstappen for the title.

As the F1 season heads into its final stretch, all eyes will be on McLaren to see how they handle this delicate situation. If they decide to heed Button’s advice and make Norris their clear number one, it could give him the edge he needs to take the fight to Verstappen in the final races.