McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has rejected the idea that Lando Norris needs to be more aggressive when racing against Max Verstappen, despite the Briton losing out to the reigning world champion in key moments of last weekend’s US Grand Prix.
Norris, who started from pole position, found himself outmaneuvered by Verstappen twice during the race, sparking debate over whether he should take a more combative approach against his fierce rival.
The first critical moment came at the start of the race when Verstappen lunged up the inside of the McLaren driver at the first corner, forcing both drivers wide on the exit and allowing Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc to snatch the lead.
The second defining moment between the two drivers came on lap 52, when Norris attempted an overtake on Verstappen at COTA’s Turn 12.
The Dutchman skillfully held the inside line but ran himself and Norris beyond the boundaries of the circuit where the latter managed to overtake the Red Bull, only for the stewards to penalize the Briton with a five-second penalty for illicitly gaining an advantage.
With Norris losing out on both occasions, some have suggested that the McLaren driver should be more aggressive in his wheel-to-wheel fights with Verstappen. But Stella doesn’t believe that changing Norris' approach is necessary.
“I would not say that Lando needs to be more aggressive,” the McLaren boss told the media in Austin, quoted by Motorsport Week.
“I think any time you have this kind of duel on track, you learn a little bit. But I don’t think Lando should change the fundamental way he goes on this kind of overtaking or defending manoeuvres.
“There are some technicalities that possibly can be reviewed. But I think in this case, if it wasn’t this lap, it could have been the next lap and Lando would have been successful in his manoeuvres.”
“So I don’t think you need to change, become aggressive at the risk of not finishing the race.”
Stella’s point is reinforced by history. Earlier in the season, at the Austrian Grand Prix, Norris adopted a more aggressive stance against Verstappen, which ended poorly for both drivers, ruining their races.
For Stella, maintaining a balanced approach is key to avoiding similar disasters. But the McLaren boss was also quick to acknowledge Verstappen’s skills, avoiding criticism of the Dutchman’s driving style.
“We are talking about a very, very capable driver. I’m not disrespecting this. Max is outstanding,” Stella said, recognizing the challenge that Verstappen poses on the track.
However, the Italian’s main issue wasn’t with Norris’ level of aggression or Verstappen’s tactics.
Instead, he took issue with the way the race stewards handled the incidents, particularly the penalty given to Norris after Lap 52. Stella felt the stewards acted too hastily and should have taken more time to review the situation post-race.
“There was no need for the stewards to interfere with the situation under the urgency of deciding during the race,” he said.
While Stella accepted the first-lap incident as a result of "first lap mitigating circumstances," he believed the situation on Lap 52 warranted a more thoughtful review.
“[The stewards] should have respect for their job as well, and when the case is so difficult, like Lando and Max, just take the time, review it after the race, hear from the drivers, try to understand the subtleties,” he suggested.
“So I think the first lap, first corner, can be mitigated by the first lap interpretation, but I think [Lap 52] for me is really difficult to understand, more than the one in the first lap.
“I don’t want to look like I’m criticising people, I’m just criticising the approach.
“Being a steward is such a difficult job, so if you are uncertain, give yourself time, give yourself the way to be as accurate as possible.”
While Stella expressed respect for the challenges that the stewards face, his frustration with their decision-making during the US Grand Prix was evident.
For now, McLaren remains focused on refining their approach as they continue to chase Verstappen and Red Bull, but Stella firmly believes that aggression alone is not the solution for Norris in his battle with the dominant Dutchman.
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