McLaren wants its drivers competing for the championship to think about the bigger picture at the beginning of the Belgian Grand Prix.
Lando Norris will start Sunday’s race in first place, ahead of Oscar Piastri, whom he is nine points behind in the standings.
The McLarens easily secured the top two spots on Saturday afternoon, but they will have to contend with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, who won the sprint race, starting behind them.
Verstappen claimed victory in the sprint by following Piastri at the beginning and then using the long Kemmel Straight after Eau Rouge to pass him.
The chance of rain during the race has increased overnight, adding another element of uncertainty.
“I believe both drivers will focus on getting through corner one as quickly as possible,” said McLaren boss Andrea Stella on Saturday evening.
“I think the driver in P2 will need to position their car well to take advantage of the slipstream, which could be a key factor. However, based on the weather forecast, we might not see dry conditions, so if it rains, things could get even more exciting because Eau Rouge might not be easy to take flat like it usually is during lap 1 in a Formula 1 car.
“While it’s important to look ahead, drivers also need to keep an eye on what’s happening behind them since Ferrari has a noticeable speed advantage. So, I wouldn’t be surprised if Leclerc ends up leading the pack by the end of lap 1. There’s certainly some strategy involved, but in the end, drivers have to make their own decisions and judgments.
“What I will remind the drivers is that lap 1 is just the beginning of 44 laps. With such a strong competitive car, we need to minimize any issues during lap 1. If we manage the race effectively after that, I believe we can still have a chance to win, even if lap 1 doesn’t go as we hoped from qualifying.”
McLaren has chosen not to use team orders between its drivers and has allowed them to race freely. During the Canadian Grand Prix, Norris accidentally hit the back of Piastri’s car while they were battling for position.
In the following race in Austria, Piastri had to be held back after almost crashing into the rear of Norris’ car as they competed for the lead.
