Lando Norris, the British driver of McLaren, took the lead of the McLaren MCL35M ahead of Lewis Hamilton in the Mercedes AMG F1 W12 during the Formula 1 World Championship race at the Russian Grand Prix at the Sochi Autodrom in Russia on September 26, 2021.
Andrea Stella, chief of the McLaren Formula 1 team, revealed how the defeat at the 2021 Russian Grand Prix served as a turning point that inspired Lando Norris to his victory in Miami. After 110 races, Norris finally achieved his long-awaited Formula 1 victory, taking advantage of a favorable Safety Car situation to overtake Max Verstappen of Red Bull. Norris had come close to winning in Sochi the previous year, leading from pole position until a lack of decision during a late rain cost him the victory. Against McLaren’s advice, Norris chose not to pit when the rain hit the track, allowing Lewis Hamilton, who had taken a risk with intermediate tires, to secure the win. However, Stella, who was the racing director at McLaren at the time, emphasized that the team was to blame for this incident and always believed in Norris’s ability to succeed. Stella stated: “We were completely convinced that the reason Lando had not yet won was not because of Lando himself, but because of the team. We needed to give him the tools to win, and once we did that, he succeeded. This is a testament to how prepared he was.” Stella also praised Norris for his podium finishes in races where the car’s performance did not necessarily justify it, highlighting his strong journey in Formula 1. Reflecting on the race in Russia, Stella considered it a turning point for Norris and the team in terms of how they handle pressure and collaborate to make informed decisions based on the unique information available both on the track and in the pit wall. However, Stella took responsibility for the team’s failure to make Norris pit, acknowledging that it was their limitation that prevented them from achieving victory, even though Norris had done his part.
Norris’ triumph marked the third occasion since the beginning of the previous season that Red Bull did not see Max Verstappen or Sergio Perez occupy the top spot on the podium. Stella consistently acknowledged Red Bull’s achievements in recent times and hopes that Norris’ outstanding performance will kick off a more competitive challenge from McLaren. “Achieving victories is never a simple task, and when we consider what Red Bull has achieved… I never underestimate their accomplishments,” the Italian stated. “I always hold them in high esteem because there are many ways things can go wrong. For them to achieve such a remarkable string of victories is truly impressive. We are only at the beginning of this journey and hopefully, we will experience more days like these in the future.”
