McLaren’s team principal Andrea Stella has stated that the team stands by their decision to pit Lando Norris from second place during the São Paulo Grand Prix, just before the race was red-flagged. Norris, who started from pole, had fallen to second after George Russell overtook him at the first corner. Both McLaren and Mercedes drivers chose to pit when the race was briefly neutralized by a Virtual Safety Car caused by Nico Hulkenberg’s car stopping on track.
Meanwhile, Max Verstappen of Red Bull and Alpine’s Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly opted to stay out, taking the top three positions when the race was later red-flagged following Franco Colapinto’s crash amid worsening conditions. As a result, Norris found himself in fifth place after the restart and dropped further down after spinning in the challenging conditions, while Verstappen surged to victory, effectively sealing the 2024 title.
McLaren will now review their strategy over the next few days to determine where things went awry in Brazil and whether the choices made at crucial moments were right.
“Also, thanks to making the brave decision in the situation with the red flag of not stopping and staying out on tires that were relatively worn at the time, this played to the advantage of Max and advantage of Alpine, and even Alpine deserve definitely congratulations for a double-podium finish,” Stella said.
“I back the decisions we made because it came with the full agreement of the drivers, the pit wall, and also a little bit of reason that we need to make sure we stay on track because we compete for points, we compete for both championships and we need to finish races,” he added.
Andrea Stella on Verstappen: “Today, Max sent a strong signal, reminding us of his incredible strength. We've always recognized his qualities.” "Three-time World Champion, now heading for a fourth – very well deserved." 🏆 #F1 #Champion pic.twitter.com/oJTC5RiBwm
— F1grids (@F1gridx) November 5, 2024
The result meant Norris now trails Verstappen by 62 points with three races and one sprint still to go. Although not officially confirmed, it appears almost certain that the title will be heading to Verstappen for the fourth consecutive season.
While the Papayas hold the lead in the constructors championship, Red Bull’s relentless pace and Ferrari’s consistency could make it challenging for them to retain the top spot. McLaren will need to stay focused and keep delivering strong results across all remaining races. It will depend on how well they manage race strategy and reliability and whether Ferrari or Red Bull encounter any setbacks.
Formula 1 will return to Las Vegas on 23 Nov before rounding off the season in Qatar and Abu Dhabi.
Mohd Faisal Hakak is a sports author from Kashmir. He likes to keep tabs on the sporting world with a keen interest in football, motorsports, NBA, and other marquee sports. He is a science graduate from Islamia College Srinagar.
