McLaren team boss Andrea Stella expects Lando Norris to bounce back stronger after his retirement in Zandvoort. The British driver was in sight of second place for a long time, thereby limiting his points loss compared to teammate Oscar Piastri. However, his Sunday ended in disappointment when his MCL39 gave up in the closing laps. After the race, Norris seemed devastated, but Stella nonetheless anticipates extra motivation in the upcoming Grands Prix.
After a fierce qualifying battle, Norris had to settle for the second starting spot on Saturday; Oscar Piastri was one-tenth faster on the dune circuit. In the first corner, the Brit failed to outsmart his teammate, after which he seemed to settle for second place and seven fewer championship points. However, towards the end of the race, he suffered a severe blow; an oil leak forced him to retire early from the race. He collapsed in the dunes next to the asphalt, while Piastri secured his first Grand Slam.
Yet, Stella is convinced that Norris will come back stronger after this setback. “He is a very mature person,” the McLaren team boss told the media in Zandvoort. “Apart from his status as a driver, he is one of the most honest, balanced – I would almost say reliable – people I know. So, when he says he will give his all, or something to that effect, it means he will extract even more from himself.”
Zandvoort Incident Brings No Change Within McLaren
“I’m looking forward to seeing what Lando Norris will do, as we know he has immense talent,” Stella continued. “I expect his current position in the championship will provide extra motivation to showcase that talent. We will continue to support him fully and ensure he remains competitive. But as I said, I think we will see an improved version of Lando regardless. This will only make the competition with Oscar Piastri more interesting.”
Finally, Stella emphasized that Norris’ retirement will not change the way McLaren races. “For the team, it’s important to continue working as we have been,” he explained. For now, McLaren is not favoring either of its drivers. “We remain as neutral as possible and facilitate the ambitions of both Lando and Oscar in a balanced way. I don’t think the situation in Zandvoort changes anything.”
