Norris’s Miami Misstep: Stella Says Patience Was Key

McLaren boss Stella says Norris should’ve eased off at Turn 1, trusting the car’s pace to reclaim the lead later.

Oscar Piastri claimed his third consecutive win, strengthening his lead in the championship standings over teammate Lando Norris, who had managed to close the gap slightly during Saturday’s Sprint.

Team Principal Andrea Stella praised the outstanding pace of the MCL39 and the performance of both drivers, who looked untouchable throughout the race.

“The gap we had today shows how competitive the car is right now,” Stella said. “Oscar and Lando both did a great job getting the most out of it.”

According to Stella, McLaren is excelling in warmer conditions, a factor that helped them dominate the race.

“In hot weather, our race pace really shines. Credit to the entire team for building such an incredible car. Today was a perfect result, maximum points from Miami. We’re getting closer to our goals, and this was a very positive step forward.”

Despite the strong result, Stella acknowledged there was no real on-track battle between the McLaren drivers after Norris lost ground at the start when challenged by Verstappen.

Looking back, Stella suggested Norris should have been more strategic:

“In hindsight, it would’ve been smarter for Lando to back off and wait for a chance to regain the lead later. The car clearly had the speed to make that happen, but hindsight is always easier.”

Norris also had to give back a position after going off track, something Stella agreed was the right call:

“Lando was outside track limits, so returning the place was the fair and correct thing to do. It’s unfortunate, but avoiding a penalty was the priority.”

With both drivers performing at such a high level, McLaren’s momentum is growing, and so are the expectations.