Lando Norris had a golden opportunity to secure a win at the Canadian Grand Prix, but it slipped away, leaving him frustrated. McLaren’s team boss, Andrea Stella, acknowledged that despite Norris’ strong performance, the timing of the safety car and a lack of pace compared to Mercedes played crucial roles in the outcome.
Norris managed to pass both Max Verstappen from Red Bull and George Russell from Mercedes, seizing the lead and pulling away from the pack. However, Logan Sargeant’s spin at Turn 6 brought out the safety car, creating a pivotal moment in the race.
McLaren decided not to pit Norris immediately, even though he had enough time to do so. Stella admitted they could have pitted Norris but opted against it as they were monitoring the rain and did not want to change to a new set of inters unnecessarily. This decision resulted in Norris returning to the race in third position.
Stella explained that Norris was just one and a half seconds away from the pit lane when the safety car came out. In hindsight, if they had instructed Norris to pit immediately, things might have turned out differently. The team was wary of the rain intensity, which seemed to be decreasing, and therefore decided to stick with the current set of inters.
As the race resumed, Norris tried an overcut when the track dried, and he emerged from the pit lane neck and neck with Verstappen. However, Verstappen’s tires were already in their optimal window, allowing him to secure the lead and eventually win the race. Norris then had to battle Russell for second place, which he successfully did, taking P2.
Norris expressed his frustration, saying, “We should have won today, it’s as simple as that.” Stella, however, pointed out that Mercedes had a better pace in the dry stint, and theoretically, they should have finished ahead of Norris, making the P2 result satisfactory for the team.
Stella reflected on the team’s progress, noting that their disappointment over not securing the victory is a sign of how far they have come. McLaren is now a regular podium contender and sometimes even in the running for victories. He also emphasized the importance of making the car faster to secure wins regardless of the conditions.
He acknowledged that without the safety car, Norris could have built a significant lead, but with Mercedes being slightly faster in dry conditions, they could have caught up eventually. Stella concluded that the team maximized their potential given the circumstances and were happy with the result.
Norris’ four podium finishes in his last five races, including his first F1 victory in Miami, highlight McLaren’s competitive edge. While the Canadian Grand Prix didn’t go as planned, the team remains optimistic and focused on improving their performance.
Source: Planetf1
