Lando Norris, the British driver for McLaren, took the lead in the McLaren MCL35M ahead of Lewis Hamilton in the Mercedes AMG F1 W12 during the Formula 1 World Championship race at the Russian Grand Prix in Sochi Autodrom, Russia on September 26, 2021.
Andrea Stella, the boss of McLaren’s Formula 1 team, has revealed how the loss at the 2021 Russian Grand Prix served as a turning point that inspired Lando Norris to his victory in Miami. After 110 races, Norris finally achieved his long-awaited win in Formula 1, taking advantage of a fortunate Safety Car situation to overtake Max Verstappen from Red Bull. Norris had come close to winning in Sochi the previous year, leading from pole position until a lack of decisiveness during a late rain shower cost him the victory. Against McLaren’s advice, Norris chose not to pit when rain hit the track, allowing Lewis Hamilton, who had taken a gamble on intermediate tires, to claim the win. However, Stella, who was the Racing Director for McLaren at the time, emphasized that the team was at fault for that incident and he always believed in Norris’s ability to succeed. Stella stated, “We were completely convinced that the reason Lando hadn’t won yet was not because of Lando himself, but because of the team. We needed to give him the tools to win, and once we did, he achieved it. This is a testament to how prepared he was.” Stella also praised Norris for his podium finishes in races where the car’s performance did not necessarily warrant it, highlighting his strong journey in Formula 1. Reflecting on the race in Russia, Stella considered it a turning point for Norris and the team in terms of how they handle pressure and collaborate to make sound decisions based on the unique information available both on the track and in the pit wall. However, Stella took responsibility for the team’s failure to enforce the call for Norris to pit, acknowledging that it was their limitation that prevented them from achieving victory even though Norris had done his part.
Norris’ triumph marked the third occasion since the beginning of the previous season that Red Bull has not seen either Max Verstappen or Sergio Perez take the top spot on the podium. Stella has consistently recognized the accomplishments of Red Bull in recent times and he anticipates that Norris’ breakthrough performance will initiate a more competitive challenge from McLaren. “Attaining victories is never a simple task, and when we consider what Red Bull has achieved… I never underestimate their accomplishments,” the Italian remarked. “I always hold them in high regard because there are numerous ways in which things can go awry. For them to achieve such a remarkable string of victories is truly astounding. We are only at the beginning of this journey, and hopefully, we will experience more days like these in the future.”