Andrea Stella admits ‘I don’t disagree’ with Lando Norris accusation ‘at first’

Follow us on Google Discover

Lando Norris has not always faced an easy run in the Formula 1 drivers’ championship fight, and McLaren boss Andrea Stella initially agreed with one accusation he merited.

The 24-year-old is pushing to win his first drivers’ title this year after also sealing the Briton’s first Grand Prix win, too. A beneficial safety car period helped Norris claim his first win at the Miami Grand Prix in May. He has even since won the Dutch Grand Prix and the Singapore GP.

But Norris must outscore Red Bull rival Max Verstappen by 8.6 points per round through the final six Grand Prix and three F1 Sprint events to win the title. It is an uphill fight with even a win in each race to go no longer enough owing to Daniel Ricciardo’s fastest lap in Singapore.

Andrea Stella doubts Lando Norris’ starts could have been better, despite initial concerns

Norris may face a smaller deficit to Verstappen than the current 52 points had he not left an array on the table throughout the term. The Briton has failed to capitalise on his potential in China, Monaco, Canada, Spain, Austria, Great Britain, Hungary, Italy and Azerbaijan this year.

McLaren saw Norris drop points in the F1 Sprint at the Chinese Grand Prix after losing out to Lewis Hamilton at the start. He also finished fourth in Monaco as Oscar Piastri came home in P2. Different strategic calls may have led to more points in Canada, Hungary and Azerbaijan.

READ MORE: McLaren driver Lando Norris’ life outside F1 from height and parents to celebration

But the main accusation that Norris has faced is if poor starts have cost him in the title fight. The Bristol-born pilot failed to convert pole position into the race win in Barcelona, Hungary or Italy. Yet McLaren team principal Stella doubts Norris could have done more upon review.

“I don’t disagree that, at first glance, the starts and the general approach to the first corner on the opening lap could have been an opportunity for Lando,” Stella said, via Formu1a.Uno.

“But after doing a bit of analysis as a group, including Lando, we looked at the whole season, every single start and every single first lap.

“And, honestly, we didn’t find that even in the cases where Lando started from pole and wasn’t first at the end of the opening lap, he gave up much in terms of performance.”

Lando Norris did not lose out in Spain, Hungary or Italy due to slower starts alone

Norris got a worse start than Verstappen in the Spanish Grand Prix but would have likely lost out to George Russell before Turn 1 regardless. The Mercedes racer swept past the McLaren and Red Bull drivers into Turn 1 thanks to a double slipstream from fourth place on the grid.

Piastri also only just got the superior launch in Hungary to take the inside line at T1 ahead of Norris. The big mistake the Briton made in Budapest was refusing to gift the lead of the race back to Piastri after his pit stop so the teammates could duel for glory in the remaining laps.

His start at Monza was also not what cost Norris the win at the Italian GP from pole position. Instead, the Briton just did not have the speed to fight Piastri and Charles Leclerc back after graining his tyres. If Piastri did not pass Norris at Turn 4, though, it may have been different.

Piastri passing Norris for the lead of the Italian GP at Variante della Roggia forced the latter off line and let Leclerc through. McLaren then compromised their strategy to try and move Norris back past the Ferrari driver. But it let the Scuderia try the one-stop and Leclerc won.