McLaren: No regrets over timing of Norris pit stop in Sao Paulo GP

Lando Norris (GBR) McLaren MCL38 makes a pit stop. 03.11.2024. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 21, Brazilian Grand Prix, Sao Paulo, Brazil, Race Day. - www.xpbimages.com, EMail: requests@xpbimages.com © Copyright: Batchelor / XPB Images
© XPB 

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has insisted that the squad has no regrets about their decision to pit Lando Norris from P2 in the Sao Paulo Grand Prix when they did, just before the race was red flagged.

Norris had started from pole but dropped to second after a first corner pass by Mercedes driver George Russell. Both opted to pit when the race was briefly placed under a Virtual Safety Car for Nico Hulkenberg stopping on track.

Red Bull's Max Verstappen and Alpine drivers Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly all stayed out and inherited the top three positions when the race was subsequently red flagged for Franco Colapinto's crash as conditions worsened.

That left Norris down in fifth place after the restart, and he subsequently lost another place after spinning in treacherous conditions, while Verstappen went on to win the race and all-but secure the 2024 title.

McLaren will now spend the next few days analyzing what went wrong in Brazil, and whether they made the right decisions at key moments.

“There's a few things we need to look into from our side,” Stella told Viaplay . “We felt it was the right thing to pit when so much water was coming, and we don't regret that.

“It was a cautious pit stop," Stella admitted. "It ultimately paid off for the cars behind us that took a bit of risk of staying out and then the red flag kind of resetting the race."

The final outcome was a major disappointment for the team after winning the sprint race the day before, and looking set to score big over Verstappen and cut into the Dutch driver's lead in the title standings.

Andrea Stella (ITA) McLaren Team Principal in the FIA ​​Press Conference. 01.11.2024. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 21, Brazilian Grand Prix, Sao Paulo, Brazil, Sprint Qualifying Day. - www.xpbimages.com, EMail: requests@xpbimages.com © Copyright: Charniaux / XPB Images

“Obviously when you start in pole position, you always hope that you can finish P1," Stella said. "But the race has been very eventful, and some of the events didn't play to our favor.

"This means that we actually finished far from the podium, but still with good points," he insisted, adding: “It was important to stay in the race.

"If we look at the constructors' championship, it's important that we out-score Ferrari and this sets the situation strongly for the final part of the season.”

For his part, Norris told Sky Sports F1 that Verstappen had “got a bit lucky” with a rule that few supports, insisting it would have been ridiculous for McLaren to gamble on staying out in worsening conditions.

Lando Norris (GBR) McLaren in the post qualifying FIA Press Conference. 03.11.2024. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 21, Brazilian Grand Prix, Sao Paulo, Brazil, Race Day. - www.xpbimages.com, EMail: requests@xpbimages.com © Copyright: Charniaux / XPB Images

"It was just unlucky," said Norris, adding: "I don't care about the hindsight side of things.

"They [Red Bull] got lucky on a rule that no one agrees with," Norris said of Red Bull's good fortune with the red flag. "They probably agreed with it today but every driver has disagreed with it in the past.

"Today it benefited them," he said. "It could have benefited us if we'd just stayed out. But that's a stupid thing to think of. Just a bit unlucky today, nothing more. Of course it's disappointing."

The result means that Norris is now 62 points behind Verstappen with three Grands Prix and one sprint remaining. While not mathematically decided, it means the title looks set to be going to Verstappen for a fourth season in a row.

Keep up to date with all the F1 news via Facebook and Twitter