Depending on the context, the border that separates integrity from the most frightening ridicule is practically negligible. Whether McLaren can champion the former, or be mocked for the latter, will depend on what happens this Sunday in Abu Dhabi. No one in their right mind would have anticipated just three months ago that the Formula 1 World Championship would not be resolved until the last stop on the calendar, much less that the British team would have a chance of losing it in favor of Max Verstappen.; in a poker that would place him on the same level as Juan Manuel Fangio, while at the same time setting him apart from the trio he currently forms with Alain Prost and Sebastian Vettel. The Dutchman’s talent is unquestionable because he pushes it every weekend, but in a discipline in which the human factor has fallen below the mechanical one, magic is not enough if one does not receive some help or two. The curious thing about the case is that, on this occasion, Verstappen’s hope has been made possible by McLaren.
Until now, , their starting partner, without applying the famous team orders, persecuted by regulations for a long time and whose ban was lifted in 2011. As a brand value, what McLaren has done looks very good, although when one faces a rival of the magnitude of Mad Maxthis means that the fight is not fought on equal terms and gives the red buffalo runner a considerable strategic advantage. In fact, this equidistance within the papaya racing team is what, in part, explains why Verstappen has cut the leader by 92 points in the last eight grand prix, until standing this weekend at the Yas Marina circuit, only 12 points behind Norris. The math is still in favor of the boy from Somerset, who just needs to get on the podium to become champion. A more than attainable goal for him if we take into account that he has achieved it 17 times out of 23.
Of all the possible scenarios, the one that would test the parity that McLaren has so proclaimed would be the one that would occur with Verstappen at the front of the peloton, and it would depend on Piastri whether Norris could end up in the box. In that case, the key for the scepter to return to Woking (Great Britain) 17 years after the last time (Lewis Hamilton) would lie in the Australian’s willingness to give up the place to his workshop neighbor, so that it would be him and not Red Bull who would celebrate the World Cup. “No, it has not been discussed [de las órdenes de equipo]. And that I would love. In any case, I’m not going to ask for it,” said the leader of the general table, this Thursday, upon his arrival in Abu Dhabi, where, with a small mouth, he came to say that, if the roles were reversed, he would be open to lending a hand to his teammate.
“Personally, I think so. [aceptaría las órdenes del equipo]. But it’s not really up to me and I’m not going to ask for it,” Norris added. “I’ve been on the opposite side in the youth ranks, and I know what it feels like,” Piastri added. “I need several things to happen to become champion, but I’ll make sure I’m in the right place at the right time and see what happens,” who, as always, was the most pragmatic of all when asked about those hypothetical team orders: “In 20 years, whoever wins will have the trophy in its display case. At the end of the day, that’s all that matters.”
