McLaren’s failure to convert their front-row start into a victory at the Italian Grand Prix has drawn harsh criticism from former Haas team principal Guenther Steiner, who blasted the team for their approach to winning races this season. Despite starting in P1 and P2, McLaren’s internal battle during the opening lap saw both drivers miss out on the chance to claim victory, an outcome Steiner deems avoidable.
The Papaya outfit has been one of the fastest teams on the grid throughout the 2024 season, yet they’ve only secured three wins out of a possible 16 races. Many prominent voices within the sport have pointed to McLaren’s questionable race tactics as a key reason for their underperformance, particularly after the Italian GP incident.
Steiner has urged McLaren to abandon their revered ‘Papaya rules’—which prioritize on-track fairness between drivers—in favor of a more results-driven approach that could secure them the constructors’ championship. After the missed opportunity at Monza, Steiner labeled the team’s current strategy as “impractical and ineffective.”
McLaren, currently trailing Red Bull by just eight points in the 2024 constructors’ championship, is struggling far more in the drivers’ standings. Lando Norris sits 62 points behind Max Verstappen, highlighting the internal strife and missed opportunities Steiner referred to.
While McLaren’s struggles were on display, Ferrari capitalized with a tactically brilliant one-stop strategy, securing a home win at Monza. McLaren team principal Andrea Stella was quick to acknowledge Ferrari’s resurgence, particularly around fast circuits like Monza, and hinted at Ferrari’s potential strength at upcoming races in Baku.
Ferrari, currently trailing McLaren by 31 points in the constructors’ battle, has set its sights on overtaking the Woking-based squad, as they chase their first title since 2008. With both Ferrari and McLaren showing strong pace, McLaren must be cautious as the Reds inch closer to title contention.
