Despite the disappointment in Sao Paulo, McLaren boss Andrea Stella insists it “doesn’t change anything” as the Woking outfit targets the team title.
Following Max Verstappen’s impressive performance at Interlagos, he could potentially put the title out of Lando Norris’ reach in Las Vegas.
Issues like wheelspin at the start, mistakes, and an untimely red flag have left Norris 62 points behind his rival.
However, McLaren still holds a 37-point lead over Ferrari in the team standings, which is crucial for prize money, and is 48 points ahead of Red Bull.
“In terms of the Constructors’ Championship, I don’t think it changes anything,” said Stella in response to Sunday’s results, where Norris finished sixth and teammate Oscar Piastri finished eighth.
“It has always been our priority,” he added. “Even when there were decisions to support one driver over the other, maximizing the constructors’ championship was always the main focus.”
When asked if Norris felt pressure from the title fight, Stella mentioned, “I don’t think there was any specific pressure on Lando regarding the drivers’ championship.”
Stella continued, “Mathematically, we are still in the (drivers’) championship race, but we will approach the upcoming races aiming to win.”
“The last two races should be promising,” he said. “Vegas might favor Ferrari, but we are still in the competition. The Constructors’ Championship is our priority.”
This brings up the question of why Piastri had to surrender his lead in the Sprint to his teammate and if a similar situation arises in the future with the team’s focus on the Constructors’ title.
