McLaren Team DIRECTOR Andrea Stella said he and the team want racer Lando Norris to continue to focus on maintaining his chances of winning the 2024 Formula 1 world title.
“We keep telling Lando all the time, to keep doing what we do, let’s keep improving all the time, let’s be the best version of ourselves, race by race,” said Stella, quoted from the official Formula 1 website, Monday (11 /11).
Currently, Norris is the closest competitor to defending champion Max Verstappen (Red Bull) with a margin of 62 points in the standings this season.
Norris has been chasing Verstappen for the lead since the race at the Red Bull Ring, Austria. However, the battle reached a climax when the two made contact, resulting in both suffering a flat tire and limping back to the pits.
Verstappen’s recent victory in Brazil also added enough tension for Norris and his team.
However, Stella thinks Norris is able to respond to the pressure better now.
“I think Lando handled the situation in the battle in a way that we enjoyed. He is now a very mature rider. He is
fast, his racing skills continue to improve all the time,” said Stella.
“I think Lando is now a truly mature driver to succeed in this kind of battle, which is a battle against one of the best drivers in the history of Formula 1,” he added.
When asked if he would prefer Norris to change his approach to the tight on-track battle with Verstappen, Stella admitted that he would prefer his rider to maintain his riding style.
“When I say keep doing what we are doing, of course I mean this in a broad sense, but of course I also mean this in a very specific sense,” said Stella.
“Lando also reflects our values in the way he races. We race fairly, we race the right way, we race
in a sporting manner,” he continued.
After Verstappen’s victory at the Sao Paulo GP, the Dutch racer again widened his lead over Norris with three races remaining. Meanwhile, McLaren remains at the top of the constructors’ standings, 36 points ahead of Ferrari. (Ant/Z-1)
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**Interview with Andrea Stella, Team Director of McLaren Racing**
**Editor:** Thank you for joining us today, Andrea. With the 2024 Formula 1 season underway, how are you feeling about Lando Norris’s performance so far?
**Andrea Stella:** Thank you for having me. Lando has been performing exceptionally well this season. He’s showed resilience and a strong competitive spirit. Our focus right now is to keep him on track and to maintain his chances for the championship.
**Editor:** You mentioned the importance of improvement in your statements. Can you elaborate on what specific areas you and the team are working on with Lando?
**Andrea Stella:** Absolutely. We’re constantly analyzing his performance, his decision-making in races, and strategizing on how we can optimize the car’s setup for each unique track. We want him to be the best version of himself, race by race.
**Editor:** Lando is currently 62 points behind Max Verstappen. How does he mentally approach this gap, especially considering the intense rivalry?
**Andrea Stella:** Lando is a very optimistic and determined driver. We continuously remind him to focus on the process rather than the gap. If he focuses on improving and executing our race strategy, the results will follow. The championship is long, and anything can happen.
**Editor:** The recent incident at the Red Bull Ring certainly heightened the competitive atmosphere between Lando and Max. How do you think these moments affect the team’s strategy moving forward?
**Andrea Stella:** Incidents like that are part of racing, and they can be stressful. However, they also serve as learning experiences. We will analyze what happened, understand the dynamics of racing against Max, and make adjustments to our approach for future races.
**Editor:** what’s your message to Lando and the fans as the season continues?
**Andrea Stella:** To Lando, keep your head down and keep pushing. To our fans, thank you for your unwavering support. We are committed to this journey, and with your encouragement and Lando’s talent, we believe we can bridge that gap and compete for the championship.
**Editor:** Thank you, Andrea. It’s exciting to see how the season unfolds!
