Cs98 wrote: ↑15 Aug 2023, 18:22
Just_a_fan wrote: ↑15 Aug 2023, 16:44
Henri wrote: ↑15 Aug 2023, 12:48
Norris should have taken the seat or was he scared of max ?
"Scared of Max"? Why? If he's not fast enough then he's not fast enough but importantly for Norris, he'd need to know that the team would give him equal billing so he could try. However, the team operates a No.1 / No.2 system - they did it with Vettel and they're doing it with Max (just as Marko confirmed). No driver that considers himself good enough to take the title (as no doubt Norris does), would put himself in a team where he knows from day 1 that the team will give his team mate preferential treatment. That's not fear, it's simple common sense.
If he's fast enough to assert himself in the team he will be treated as an equal. If not he will be treated like Perez. That is a guy who is given equal material to score results but isn't considered the main contender within the team because of their own lackluster performance.
As Marko says in his interview, having a team mate that doesn't cause problems is what they want. Perez doesn't cause problems precisely because, whilst he can be quick on his day, he isn't a monster of consistency that the best drivers are - Max is nothing if not consistently fast. Even on a "bad day" Max is still fast where Perez throws it at the scenery. Ask Rosberg how difficult it is to compete with someone that is consistently fast and rarely makes a mistake. Max is showing Perez how difficult that is, and kudos to Max for that.
But Red Bull do operate a 1 / 2 system - Marko confirms it. And to get the No.1 off the de facto guy means being better from day one for the entire season and few people can manage that. And even if you do do it, you can't have a bad day or the team will be behind the other guy straight away. That's almost impossible. Indeed, it probably is impossible - no one is perfect every race when under pressure, not even Max.
I'm reminded of Coulthard admitting that he knows now that he wasn't good enough to have competed with Michael for a whole season, but at the time he turned down a Ferrari offer, he did it because he didn't want to be contractually No.2 to Michael. He knows now how silly that was. Maybe that's where Norris is now, or maybe Norris believes he can win the title and doesn't want to fight a team mate for the chance. You'd have to ask Norris.
If you are more fortunate than others, build a larger table not a taller fence.