Andrea Stella, McLaren’s team principal, has clarified why Oscar Piastri was instructed to allow Lando Norris to overtake him during Formula 1’s United States Grand Prix.
Both Piastri and Norris secured the fourth row on the starting grid at the Circuit of The Americas, unable to compete with the Mercedes, Red Bulls, and Ferraris in Q3.
Throughout the initial seven laps of the race, Piastri lost an average of one second per lap to leader Kimi Antonelli – specifically 0.997 seconds on average, not counting the first lap – and struggled to keep pace with George Russell, who was increasing his lead by two-tenths each lap.
Norris expressed his frustration over the radio, indicating he was “being held up” by Piastri; McLaren then requested Piastri to let Norris pass, which he did at Turn 1 on lap eight. Norris subsequently pulled away, gaining a four-second advantage in just seven laps.
“During the weekend, we noticed that Lando was marginally quicker than Oscar,” Stella explained. “This track plays to Lando’s strengths, while it’s one of those where Oscar tends to face more challenges.”
Lando Norris, McLaren, Oscar Piastri, McLaren, Andrea Stella, McLaren
Photo by: Andy Hone/ LAT Images via Getty Images
“This season, particularly for Oscar, has presented challenges because his strength is in constructing references; when he establishes them, he can consistently improve lap after lap. However, at this circuit, every lap brings variation, which poses challenges for Oscar, in contrast to Lando, who possesses the ability to adapt exceptionally well to such conditions, especially when the vehicle experiences slides.”
“Under these circumstances, we had discussed prior to the race that if Lando were behind Oscar and Oscar was unable to maintain pace with the leading cars, then we could allow Lando a chance to see if he could attack the cars ahead – which is precisely what we decided to do.”
This situation was particularly significant for McLaren following the collision between their drivers during the sprint race in Singapore. “This demonstrates our collective commitment as a team, alongside the drivers, to prioritize the team’s objectives, which has always been our focus,” Stella remarked.
“After Singapore, we reiterated how crucial it is for all of us to collaborate to propel McLaren back to where we aspire to be, which is having Oscar and Lando on the front row in qualifying, contending for victories, after which we can manage the internal competition. Until then, it is vital for us to work collectively to restore McLaren to the forefront.”
Norris’s Quest for a Podium Finish
Lando Norris, McLaren
Photo by: Sam Bloxham / LAT Images via Getty Images
To contend with the leading teams on Sunday, McLaren opted for a one-stop strategy, while the Ferrari duo of Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc, along with Max Verstappen, went for two stops. As a result, Norris maintained second position until lap 46, when he was overtaken by those three competitors; however, he skillfully executed an undercut on Isack Hadjar and Russell, finishing in fifth place, while Piastri also topped Russell for seventh.
“We endeavored to utilize the hard tires, which had shown promise during practice, and we were aware that others were selecting from the softer tire options,” explained Stella. “Upon observing the first stint and noting that they were experiencing some difficulties, we felt encouraged that employing the hard tires could be a viable strategy for gaining time.”
“During the second stint, we started making headway against the two Ferraris and Verstappen. Eventually, we concluded that a one-stop strategy was best, as opting for two stops would likely keep us in a disadvantaged position. The one-stop option allowed for the chance of capitalizing on a safety car, which ultimately did not occur. We are still awaiting redress for what transpired in Madrid—it will come,” the Italian added, alluding to Norris’s missed opportunity at victory due to an inconvenient VSC period at Madrid.
Lando Norris, McLaren
Photo by: Sam Bloxham / LAT Images via Getty Images
“We also explored the potential of the hard tires, but realistically we understood it was highly improbable to keep Verstappen and especially Leclerc behind us. When it came to Hamilton, it seemed more contingent on the tire’s performance towards the end of their usability. No one could have predicted, but it was worth a shot.”
“We are content with the execution of our strategy; we believe we grasped which tires were required for the conditions today; we are pleased with the evident improvements to the car due to upgrades. However, we must enhance our qualifying performance and continue refining the car if we aim to fight consistently for podiums and prioritize victories.”
McLaren is currently in a four-race podium drought, marking its worst run of results in this regard since the concluding rounds of the 2023 season and the opening pair of the championship-winning campaign for 2024.
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