🇮🇹 Formula 1 2021: Round 14 - Papaya Progress

Brazil 2012.

(c) Mclaren F1 on Twitter

Just the casual 170 races between McLaren’s last win and Daniel Ricciardo crossing the line first in Monza. 

Canada 2010. 

To make it even better for them, Lando Norris was second - matching the second they got in a crazy race at the same place in 2020, and their first 1-2 since Hamilton/Button in Montreal 2010. It was 2021’s first 1-2 too, from a completely unexpected source. 

The win makes it a fifth winner of the season, with the Australian joining Hamilton, Verstappen, Perez and Ocon - the same number of winners in the past couple of seasons. I predicted that more than five would win a race this season, and there are a few more races to go, but Italy belongs to McLaren. 

And it hasn’t been easy for them, coming a long way from Fernando Alonso calling the then-Honda engine worthy of GP2. 

"GP2 engine, GP2 engine," says Alonso as Verstappen goes past. LIVE: http://t.co/e5gPsMW3r8 #SkyF1 pic.twitter.com/fxvCxtImhc

— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) September 27, 2015

The Honda relationship was disastrous with a difficult chassis to fit the engine into, causing reliability issues and miscommunications on all sides, sinking further and further back before beginning their recovery with Renault and moving on to Mercedes, giving them some real power to compete on offense and defence, as Norris did against Hamilton during the sprint race. 

And with this win, their recovery gets another massive piece slotted into place, but long-term, the team’s prospects for a second consecutive third place in the Constructors’ championship are looking good with a young star in Lando Norris leading the charge and the slightly elder statesman and mentor in Daniel Ricciardo to push him further. 

Every time a team takes a chance on a new driver, or a new pairing, it brings its own risks. McLaren replaced world champions Jenson Button and Fernando Alonso, initially adding Stoffel Vandoorne, who was dealt a bad hand with the Honda power unit in his first season, but after they switched to Renault, still couldn’t finish higher. On his second race in 2019, Lando Norris finished higher in sixth.

Replacing a jaded Fernando Alonso with Carlos Sainz helped rejuvenate the team too, and the natural chemistry between the younger pair tempered expectations a little. Suddenly, scoring 145 points together in the first season was a massive overachievement, and the increased prize money into 2020 allowed them to progress, combined with adapting well during the pandemic. Since 2019, they’ve had 33 retirements and non-points finishes. They had 32 in 2017 and 29 in 2018. 

As the drivers and team have grown more confident in itself, so have the expectations. It’s not a shock anymore to see McLaren roaming around in the top six, whereas a few years ago, a points finish was a major achievement. The team have built a blueprint of not just recovery and survival, but to thrive. 

After seeing Ferrari (albeit in qualifying) re-enter the party at Monaco, I thought it was great to see a potential three-team battle… now I want a four-team on-track battle at a circuit before the 2022 cars arrive. 

Formula 1 is a cyclical sport, and each technology cycle brings new challenges and sometimes, historic contenders fall away from the points. You only have to look at Williams a few years ago and how they are only just starting to come up. It makes 2022 even more exciting to see who masters the new rules and regulations quickly. But for now, it is so good to see McLaren back on top.

ONE-TWO MOOD! 😍#ItalianGP 🇮🇹 pic.twitter.com/2v4Ne4bEuM

— McLaren (@McLarenF1) September 12, 2021

As for the championship itself, Verstappen and Hamilton hurt each other again, with the contenders being investigated after the race. While the excitement is great for fans, with just five points between them, but this latest incident was dangerous and there needs to be a resolution, or an intervention, between them soon, whatever that entails. Perhaps grid penalties for both drivers so they reflect on their recent actions might be an interesting course of action, but while the rivalry is great, the danger is not.

Another hugely dramatic moment in the Verstappen/Hamilton title battle 💥😮#ItalianGP 🇮🇹 #F1 pic.twitter.com/P4J4bN6wX2

— Formula 1 (@F1) September 12, 2021

Russia is next up, traditionally a circuit that Valtteri Bottas is strong at, and his performance at Monza was impressive, taking three points in the sprint and progressing through the field from 19th to finish third. He’s just nine points ahead of Lando Norris in the overall standings. The championship, because of that crash, remains neutralised with Verstappen’s two sprint points taking the lead to just five. There are stories across the grid, and McLaren’s revival is a brilliant example of how teams can be rewarded when they get it right over several years. 

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