Stella shares team prepared Norris 'extensively' to battle Verstappen
F1 News
Out of the two weekends already completed in the current Formula One tripleheader, Max Verstappen and Lando Norris clashed against each other, with one of the drivers receiving a penalty on both occasions. Andrea Stella what Lando Norris was told by the team after the latest battle between the two rivals in Mexico City.
"The message we gave to Lando was, 'We have pace. If we can pass him, let's do it'," Andrea Stella began to explain following the race. "Because we understood at some stage that we could compete with Ferrari and we were losing time behind Max. We didn't need to say. Lando knows very well that this kind of overtaking needs to happen in a safe way because for us we are competing on both fronts."
The team principal also underlined that the most important was for the team was Norris scoring points because of the two championships. "Even when you engage in these kinds of battles, you need to think both things. We need to finish races. But this was clear, we have talked extensively about this before the race in our objectives with the drivers so we didn't need to repeat to Lando."
"I think it was important though, that the team confirms that's what we want from you Lando. That's what we want to go racing at McLaren and for a driver driving a McLaren car," he continued.
'Third party needed'
"In this sense I think this is a positive day because it has proven that it's good to race hard, but it can't be resolved on track by the two drivers. It needs a third party. It needs the authority," Stella said about why the stewards are needed in these situations.
According to the Italian team principal, he previously had to reassure Norris about his style. "So we are completely happy with the way Lando has been racing before. Anytime I read this kind of headlines I always needed to have a conversation with Lando and reassure him, 'Don't worry it will be alright. Time is a gentleman'."
'Piastri could've got Verstappen'
Oscar Piastri had a more challenging weekend, after the Australian got eliminated in Q1 on Saturday. "Pretty much he finished where we thought he would finish without being able to overtake everyone easily. In fact, it wasn't easy to overtake. This means we lost that little time that meant we couldn't pass the second Haas which was our realistic target," Stella said about Norris' teammates' Sunday.
The Australian eventually finished in eighth place in Mexico City. "Looking after the race, actually Max wasn't that far. So with some more pace and with some easier overtaking, then this could have been a target. Once again I would like to remind that Oscar didn't have the upgraded car so he did a fantastic job in getting back into the points. Like I say, the championship will go to the wire, and these points are important," Stella concluded.
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