Jonathan FletcherMcLaren F1’s Melbourne performance saw Norris on the podium and Piastri in fourth, despite Ferrari’s dominance.
McLaren F1 delivered a strong performance in Melbourne, highlighted by Lando Norris’s podium finish and Oscar Piastri’s fourth place. CEO Zak Brown praised the drivers and every team member’s efforts, despite Ferrari being unbeatable.
“Yes, it was good, good to be on the podium. The race was solid, Lando and Oscar drove really well. Our pace was pretty strong, not strong enough to beat the Reds, but it was close. That’s encouraging,” Brown remarked.
“We had a good strategy, we responded to Leclerc’s pit stop, Oscar’s strategy was stronger at the start, Lando’s was stronger towards the end, but ultimately, it was a good day.”
The American revealed that it wasn’t difficult to favor Norris when the two drivers caught up: “There was a gap in tire performance. Oscar is a fan favorite, but they ended up adopting different strategies.”
“Because we reacted when Charles Leclerc pitted. Oscar was a bit quicker at the start and Lando’s strategy was a bit quicker in the second half of the race, so that’s just how it went. It was an easy decision.”
Moving forward, McLaren aims to continue their upward trajectory from Bahrain to Melbourne with a strong result in Japan: “I think Japan is going to be very good for us. We were really strong there last year.”
“I believe that circuit will suit our car. We haven’t been to China in a long time but there are developments coming. We are encouraged. It’s the first podium of the year and I’m almost certain it won’t be the last.”
Zak Brown Hails McLaren’s “Solid Race” in Melbourne. Zak Brown Hails McLaren’s “Solid Race” in Melbourne
- ReadMore>Stake F1’s Wheel Nut Woes Continue in Australian GP
- Following us on Facebook and Twitter
