Emilia Romagna GP: McLaren Calling Strategy on Imola showed “weakness,” says Jacques Villeneuve | F1 news

After the last upset victory of Max Verstappen for the Red Bull on Grand Prix Emilia Romagna, McLaren’s strategic calls are once again under surveillance.

Verstappen went through Oscar Piastra with the first round leadership, but still had a big job to secure a victory with the second McLaren from Land Norris, soon went to George Russel to third.

Although Verstappen’s pace was undoubtedly faster than anyone on Imola expected, McLaren probably facilitated the life of a Dutchman with several calls during the race.

First came their decision to set the leader of the Piastra World Championship, who was lagging behind in less than three seconds at the time, but in circle 13, he effectively inserted him into a two -rate strategy.

This returned as several other front runners, including Verstappen and Norris in front, remained outside and found more lives in his tires to move to the strategy window in one place, while Piastra had to fight traffic.

McLaren then inserted Norris, before Verstappen stopped, at the end of 28 laps, just to just spend a virtual security car just a few moments later when Esteban Ocon stopped on the track.

This was undoubtedly unhappy for McLaren, because there was no way to predict such an occurrence, but the longer the driver remains outside, the more chances they have benefits from such a break.

Verstappen then doubled the lead of about 10 to 20 seconds, and then the cruisers seemed to win while Norris and Piastra followed the big gaps between them.

However, another incident – Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli stopped on the track with a technical failure – launched a full security car and gave McLaren the opportunity to press Verstappen once again.

With more than the advantage of the pit over Norris, Verstappen exposed from leadership, and Norris followed the suit behind.

However, Piastra remained outside and appeared in front of Norris, but at the time he was in front of his teammate on hard tires, which were 16 circles of older than Brit’s fresh set.

It was unrealistic that Piastra would be able to cause Verstappen, since Red Bull also had fresh tires, while it seemed very likely that Norris would be able to pass his teammate in Sprint from 10 rounds to goal.

McLaren, therefore, had the ability to refer to Piastra to let Norris attack Verstappen in the final stage, but not.

Villeneuve: McLaren showed weakness

Eventually Norris passed Piastra for the second, and Verstappen beat the comfortable, leading former World F1 and World Champion and Sky Sports F1 Pundit Jacques Villeneuve to question their decision.

Villeneuve said, “They show weakness. Basically, they do not show the strength that Red Bull always shows from year to year.

“It is as if they are afraid to be aggressive in trying to win the driver championship and colors to oppose the piastra. That’s really, really strange.

“Piastra messed up that first corner. He was caught sleeping. He should never have come out of the corner of the second, and then he had no pace, which was unusual. Norris had more tempo.

“In re -launching, McLaren knew it was a question of circles before Norris took Piastra with a difference in tires, it was obvious.

“100 percent sure he would progress, so why make him lose three rounds instead of shooting him in Verstappen?”

The result Norris reduced the leadership of Piastra at the top of the driver rankings to 13 points, while Verstappen closed on 22 points from leadership in third place.

Villeneuve continued: “Since Verstappen for the championship. You don’t want to give Verstappen win. It’s more points for him in the driver’s championship.

“They seem satisfied with the second and third ones. Maclaren has a car where a good weekend means the first and the second. He is less and less disappointing. The first and third is quite acceptable, but they look satisfied with the second and the third.

“That matter of weakness. You can see it in the strategy. When Norris has been going for a long time, why do you get it?

“You made the decision to go on the track for a long time. The pace is still good. So why will you answer a little early? It’s like you are afraid to go for it.

“They did not use the virtual car.

Norris, Stella defends McLaren’s decision

Although Norris would give McLaren a better chance to win through undoubtedly, the reality is that Piastra would be very unlikely to want to allow his teammate the opportunity to force a swing of 10 points in the rankings, which would have happened if they finished first and third.

Norris seemed to understand the thinking of the team and praised the wall of the pit for a “good job”.

“I was on better tires, but I didn’t expect anything,” Norris said Sky Sports F1. “It was still a difficult fight. It was close to turning. That should be, of course.

“I lose time through it, and then waste time, but that’s what we have to do to fight for the championship.

“If you try to make someone happy, others will be dissatisfied, so that’s the case.

“I think we did it well, and that was a good job.”

Team Director McLaren Andrea Stella revealed that he was thinking about ordering a switch before he decided against it.

“That was definitely a thought,” he said Sky Sports F1.

“We want Oscar to have his chance to restart. So we assumed the principle of Lando managed to pass Max, he should have passed Oscar quite easy since he was on rather old tires.

“In reality, if Delta Tempo would be enough things to take care of themselves. We are pleased with how things were going.

“Both drivers are happy, they think it was fair and that’s the way we’re going in the race.”

Chadwick: Premature for Tim orders

A triple champion W Series and Sky Sports F1 Pundit Jamie Chadwick believes it is too early in the season that McLaren has made orders for the team because they would risk damaging team chemistry.

She said, “This is the case that there are two drivers number one. This is because there is no obvious allocation. I think Red Bull had another driver who was equal to the talent Max, then it would probably be the same headache.

“It’s a good problem to have. We talked about it. It’s not bad that they have two great drivers who are fighting for the World Cup, but they can’t start bringing those orders so quickly that one of the drivers will already get a coat of arms with another.

“It’s ticklish. I think at some point there will be a conflict. I think we can already prevent it. If you still look at it today, it has already come together.

“I think when that happens, then McLaren will have to deal with it. Until then, I think they play a good team game.

“They run the constructor championship. Max surpassed them today – we have grown to expect it – and I think that’s how it worked.”

Next in the European Triple Beauty F1 is a gem in the crown, Grand Prix Monaco, May 23 to 25, with coverage this Friday live on Sky Sports F1. Stream Sky Sports with now – No Treaty, cancel anytime