McLaren boss: 'We don't want to see another 2021' season defined by clashes
F1 News
McLaren boss Andrea Stella believes that Sunday's fierce battle between Lando Norris and Max Verstappen was reminiscent of the controversial 2021 season. In the last year before the ground effect regulations came into play, Red Bull and Mercedes battled viciously for wins over the course of a record 22 Grand Prix at the time. In 2024, Stella believes that Formula 1's governing body, the FIA, must reflect on Norris and Verstappen's controversial clash to ensure that the 2021 season doesn't repeat itself.
Tensions boiled over between Red Bull and Mercedes at multiple tracks in 2021. Notably, Verstappen suffered a huge shunt at the British Grand Prix at Silverstone after a battle with Hamilton, and both ended up out of the Italian Grand Prix after neither yielded heading into the first corner. At the penultimate race in Saudi Arabia, the young lion and seven-time world champion controversially collided on multiple occasions. McLaren's team principal Andrea Stella told GPblog and others that Sunday's Austrian Grand Prix incident was complex, but equally deserves a reflection.
Verstappen's Austrian GP penalty was 'ineffective'
"If the stewards elected that the 10 seconds was an appropriate penalty, they, to some extent, go by their rule book. It's complex because sometimes the outcome can be minor, and sometimes it can be big, like in this case with a car taken out and the other car with a race heavily compromised. I don't want to make here be in a position where I make everything simple. Sometimes things are complex. They deserve enough reflection. I think the 10 seconds, as a matter of fact, today, was ineffective, and we have the driver that we are trying to chase in the classification that gained 10 points," explained the Italian. Norris had to retire after the incident due to damage he'd sustained. On the other hand, Verstappen rejoined, finishing in fifth.
Stella: analysis needed as 'we don't want to see another 2021.'
"It definitely deserves a reflection. I’m sure the FIA will approach this case, like I said before, as an episode which gives us a richness of cases that should be analysed and think about how we move forward because we don't want to see another 2021. I thought that was not a good point in Formula One racing. It might have been entertaining, but not for the good reasons." Concluded the Italian, who prioritises fair battles over controversy. Stella will be hoping Norris can bounce back at his home race at Silverstone next weekend.