Team principal Andrea Stella has spoken after the team orders snafu between Lando Norris and McLaren in the Hungarian Grand Prix.
Team principal Andrea Stella has spoken after the team orders snafu between Lando Norris and McLaren in the Hungarian Grand Prix.
I’m not sure about the Monza win, but I don’t think there’s any way he beats Piastri without the team ordered two undercuts. He never had the speed differential to overtake.
I’m not suggesting he was the fastest car all race or something ridiculous. People win races all the time because of fouled up pit stops, safety car timing, etc etc. Drivers find themselves in convenient or cursed positions basically every weekend. All of them want to win.
All I’m saying is the frustration is both understandable and ridiculous. The drivers shouldn’t be in these stupid positions, and McLaren has to improve drastically in regards to their decision making and execution.
This I think is the key here really. Without pitting Lando first, Oscar likely (not guaranteed obviously but likely) wins. So the only reason Lando was in a position to win was because the team decided to do something they believe was needed to secure P1 and P2.
That being said, ever since getting his first win, Lando’s been chomping at the bit for a second one. Every race since that he hasn’t won he’s been incredibly down on himself. I hope the team are getting him someone to work with to work through that, and that they’re realising what his state of mind is like when these types of things happen during a race.