McLaren team principal Andrea Stella praised Max Verstappen for his impressive win at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix, considering it one of the best victories of his career. Despite Verstappen’s remarkable performance, Stella defended McLaren’s strategic decisions that resulted in a sixth and eighth place finish.
Verstappen started 17th on the grid and managed to claim victory in challenging wet conditions, finishing nearly 20 seconds ahead of the Alpine drivers. Lando Norris, who started on pole position, slipped to sixth place by the end of the race behind George Russell and Charles Leclerc. Stella attributed the results to Verstappen’s exceptional driving skills and the McLaren’s lack of raw pace in the wet.
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Stella commended Verstappen for his bold decision-making during the race, especially his choice to stay out on worn tires before the red flag period. He also congratulated Alpine for their double podium finish.
Regarding McLaren’s performance, Stella acknowledged that their car did not have a significant advantage in pace on intermediate tires compared to dry tires. He highlighted the need to improve their performance on intermediate tires in future races.
Stella explained the team’s decision-making process during the race, particularly when Norris lost positions due to changing tires before the red flag. Despite the strategy not paying off as expected, Stella supported the team’s decisions and emphasized the importance of competing for points and finishing races.
While Russell finished fourth, Norris dropped to sixth after running off track twice. Stella attributed these incidents to car-related issues rather than driver error, indicating a need to address lock-ups in wet conditions.
Overall, Stella reflected on the eventful race and the varying outcomes of strategic decisions made by the team, acknowledging the unpredictability of racing conditions.
