Andrea Stella Reflects on McLaren's Missed Opportunities in Belgium

Andrea Stella, McLaren's Team Principal, has acknowledged that the team could have been bolder with Lando Norris’ strategy during the Belgian Grand Prix. Norris, who impressively climbed from 13th on the grid to finish seventh, briefly led the race, raising questions about whether a better result was possible.

Starting on hard tyres after a 10-place grid drop for new power unit components, Norris made his way through the field, capitalizing on his car’s competitive pace at Spa. However, as others pitted under a Virtual Safety Car, McLaren decided to keep Norris out, a choice that Stella later admitted might not have been optimal.

“In hindsight, given Lando’s speed on the mediums and their durability, we should have taken the chance,” Stella said post-race. The decision to keep Norris out longer resulted in lost time as he was overtaken, with no further Safety Car to aid his strategy.

Norris ultimately fell behind Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar after a late pit stop, finishing two places behind his teammate. Stella explained that the call was a toss-up, as they aimed to avoid delaying Norris with a double-stack pit stop.

Despite the strategic misstep, Norris' performance with a fresh power unit was encouraging, demonstrating McLaren’s position as the fourth fastest team on the grid. Stella believes that, without the grid penalty, Norris could have contended for a podium.

Oscar Piastri, Norris’ teammate, also faced challenges, including contact with Charles Leclerc that left Piastri’s car with damage. Although no penalty was issued, the incident affected his pace due to increased tyre degradation. Nevertheless, Stella noted positives, particularly Piastri’s qualifying pace, which matched Norris’ before the power unit impact.

Overall, while McLaren’s strategy calls may have been off the mark, the team’s performance at Spa showed promise, with Stella optimistic about their ability to adapt to varying track conditions in future races.