Problems expected at McLaren after Japan GP: 'That will be an issue this year'

Former F1 driver Robert Doornbos sees that McLaren made a mistake not only with Lando Norris' strategy, but a call later during the Japan GP.

Last Sunday, Max Verstappen and Lando Norris pitted on the same lap, and after a slower stop by the Red Bull crew, the McLaren driver was side-by-side with the RB21's rear. Norris ran out of space, and had to go on the grass after this ambitious move.

Former driver Doornbos does not understand why McLaren called in Norris on the same lap. "The strategy with Lando could have been: drive one more lap, just try it. See if you can use up those tyres completely and hope for a bad outlap from Max, then you make it exciting," he said on Ziggo Sport's Race Café.

Issues within McLaren after the Suzuka?

Doornbos also did not understand while Oscar Piastri was not given the option to show the extra pace he had in his tyres he reported over the team radio. Piastri was denied to try to go after Verstappen himself, while Norris could never get within a second to open DRS.

"If you see that Piastri has so much pace and he asks politely on the team radio, let him try with twelve more laps to go," Doornbos argued. "Let Piastri pass. Then he tries to attack Max, if he fails, he gives the position back to Norris. Because that's what will build up the irritation."

The former Minardi and Red Bull Racing driver admitted he messaged Mark Webber, Piastri’s manager, about the matter. “'I didn’t think you would accept this Mark.' Because in his career, it also went like that and to then stir things up... that will be a thing this year," Doornbos emphasized.  

"I'm going to tell you, he's just not going to accept that anymore. That unofficially Norris is already chosen as the first driver. It's not like that; they are both just as good and Piastri was slightly better last Sunday," the Dutchman concluded.