In only a few hours, the Hungarian Grand Prix will, most probably, see the two McLaren drivers fight each other for the win. This time, they will have an additional obstacle of the polesitter, Charles Leclerc, but there is a big chance that his Ferrari will be no match for their rocketship. Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri have been competing the whole season, highlighting the question that first appeared during last year’s showing at the Hungaroring. Who is the team’s number one driver?
To understand McLaren’s problems, one must first analyze what a number one and a number two driver are. In general, it is common for Formula One teams to choose one of their two drivers as their ‘main one’. He becomes the focus of their season-long plans and usually gets preferential treatment over his teammates.
Sometimes, the number one driver is the more experienced driver from the pair, one who has a better chance of scoring points. On other occasions, the deciding factor is the driver’s pace and general ability. Regardless of the decision-making process, the outcome remains the same: one driver becomes the core of the team, while the other must settle for a less central role.
A team doesn’t need to choose a number one driver. Many decide to split their efforts evenly between their contenders. For ‘top’ teams, like McLaren, however, fighting for the WDC, giving someone priority is often the smartest move.
So, what does the 2024 Hungarian Grand Prix have to do with McLaren and their drivers? It was a controversial race for the team, especially in a season in which one of their drivers had the chance to fight for the championship.
Piastri was leading the race for most of its duration, and Norris followed suit in P2. Around lap 46, the Brit was called in for an early change of tires, since the team wanted him to cover off Hamilton. Their strategy worked, but it also accidentally put Norris in the lead after his teammate drove in for a pit stop of his own.
McLaren had accidentally robbed Piastri of his maiden win and was determined to fix the situation. Norris’s race engineer began telling him to switch positions with the Australian, despite the Brit being both ahead and quicker. The team tried to appeal to him by saying that he will need Piastri’s support on other occasions and should therefore focus on the bigger picture. No direct order was given.
Norris did give back the position in the end, and the victory went to Piastri. McLaren insisted that they enforced the change because it was the fairest option since they do not have a number one and a number two driver. The issue was, they should have made the distinction. Norris had more points in the general standings and a greater chance of catching Max Verstappen. He needed as many of them as possible in every single race if he wanted to become the world champion. Splitting winnings with Piastri only pushed him further away from the goal.
Norris didn’t win the championship in 2024, and, while it wasn’t only because of the Hungarian Grand Prix, it held a part of the blame. Had McLaren decided on having a number one driver, be it Norris or Piastri, they could have prioritized him in every race. Without their points being split between the two, the chosen driver could become a more tangible threat to Max Verstappen.
This season, McLaren doesn’t have to worry about prioritizing drivers. Their dominant car allows them to easily win race after race and comfortably move away from all other teams in the standings. For the team, what matters is the Constructor’s championship, so they can allow Norris and Piastri to fairly fight for the main individual prize.
The issue might resurface in 2026. With new regulations incoming, no one can be sure that McLaren will remain the team to beat. If they are pushed back to the level of the other teams, they will have to make a choice or suffer the consequences.
The Hungarian Grand Prix in 2024 was just one of many examples of the issues that McLaren faced due to their refusal to prioritize either of their drivers. They paid the price in 2024 and might be on the course to pay it again in 2026. Will they learn from their mistakes? Or will we continue seeing the issues highlighted at the Hungaroring?
If you love sports, download Stadium Rant from the Apple App Store and join one of the fastest-growing social sports communities. Be sure to follow us on socials too — you can find all our profiles on our Linktree.
