McLaren boss Andrea Stella is convinced that Lando Norris has “quite a lot more to extract” after his breakthrough pole position at the Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix.
Norris produced an emphatic reaction to his highly scrutinised six-race run without a single pole since the opening round with a new track record around Monte Carlo.
The Briton had been candid over that drought that the car being incompatible with his driving style was thwarting his bid to unlock the MCL39’s potential over one lap.
But on the circuit where track position is the most paramount, Norris delivered when it mattered on his last lap in Q3 to usurp home hero Charles Leclerc in the Ferrari.
Stella highlighted how Norris’ return to the top is a testament to the work that he and his engineering group have been doing behind the scenes to overcome his woes.
“Certainly this week Lando has driven very, very well, very fast, very consistently, and above all he kept this speed, this consistency throughout Q3, which in some of the previous races was where we tended to lose some of the rhythm, let’s say,” Stella told media including Motorsport Week.
“So the merit is entirely Lando’s, and, if anything, there was no more relevant testing ground than Monte Carlo to actually see, check your speed and your consistency, and even the capability of repeating your driving input so that you can put together laps.
“So really hats off and shout out to Lando. If anything let me say, like we always do with Oscar, not only with Lando, but we tried as a team, as a group, together with the driver, to use the information that we had accrued over some of the last events in terms of when we are not able to find the last one-tenth of a second exactly what is happening.
“And I think the engineers have done a very good job of identifying these opportunities, because I’ve said a couple of times already that we do have to do some work from an engineering point of view to improve the feelings that come from the car onto the driver.
“But for the moment that’s what we have. So we needed to adapt, and I think the engineers have done a very good job of identifying what we should have adapted on, and Lando did a phenomenal job in just doing it.
“And then I think they have worked very well together, even in terms of communication, in between the sessions, during the session, while Lando was on track, in terms of keeping the driver on to these opportunities to capitalise on his natural speed.”
McLaren suspects more to come from Norris
Stella disclosed that McLaren made some revisions on Norris’ side that paid dividends this weekend, as he suggested that it could be a turning point in his campaign.
“I think today is an important step in the process, which like I say is not only a process for Lando it’s also a process for Oscar, because in this kind of business you always have to look forward and look as to how you can improve,” the Italian elaborated.
“Let’s say with Lando, we had a few bits of information that we could process and extract, but in particular some adaptations and care points that we needed to consider especially as we were going through the qualifying session which worked very well today.
“I think definitely this will somehow reassure Lando, but also his group of engineers and everyone that keeps supporting Lando.
“Likewise, Oscar that the work that has been pulled off was working well allowing Lando to exploit his speed and his talent.
“But I have a sense that there is quite a lot more to be extracted.
“So I take very positively this step forward, but I am excited and I look forward to the steps further that we will be able to do in the future.
“And this one is with Lando and with Oscar, because I’m sure Oscar will have said in his session, I haven’t heard it so maybe I’m wrong, but he will have said that there’s a few things during qualifying that didn’t work like he wanted, and it was at times off the rhythm, so it’s tricky, it’s very difficult it’s a very, very fast Formula 1 and very challenging for the drivers.”
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