McLaren boss Andrea Stella has issued Lando Norris a warning that he “doesn’t own” the Formula 1 Drivers’ Championship yet, despite extending his lead at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.
The Brit cruised to a commanding win at Interlagos to open up a 24-point lead on team-mate Oscar Piastri, with Max Verstappen 49 behind in third place.
Norris’ wins in Brazil and Mexico have underlined what is a seismic shift in the narrative of the title race, which had been led by Piastri from Saudi Arabia.
It now reaffirms Norris’ pre-season billing as ‘title favourite,’ taking his lead into the Las Vegas Grand Prix next week, the first of the final three races of the mammoth campaign.
But Stella issued caution to Norris after his Sao Paulo success and called for “focus” of making the most of the races left.
“For me, the only way I look at the classification is to go one race at a time and make sure that we maximise the points we score,” Stella told media including Motorsport Week.
“Honestly, while it could be a good exercise to talk about Formula 1, which is fair, to look at the combination is now a championship that Lando owns, he doesn’t own.
“It’s so academic. From a driver’s point of view, team point of view, we just have to make sure that we stay focused on ourselves and focus on executing weekends like Lando has executed here in Brazil or in Mexico.
“And for instance, with Oscar, make sure that our opportunities are capitalised. Honestly, when it comes to the points, we will take a look at the end of Vegas and we will see where we are. And likewise, after Qatar and Abu Dhabi.”
Stella relieved to see Verstappen box to release Norris for victory
Norris’ win did not look guaranteed in the latter stages however, as Max Verstappen, who had started in the pit lane, found himself in the lead having stopped twice.
But Red Bull did not feel that keeping Verstappen out for the remaining laps on his Soft tyres – which had taken a battering amid his myriad of overtakes through the field – and pitted him for a third time, releasing Norris back into the lead.
It came as somewhat of a relief to Stella, who did believe that the Dutchman would necessitate another stop due to the high level of degradation on the Interlagos circuit.
“First of all, I was hoping [Verstappen would pit] because it made our life a little bit easier!” he said.
“But jokes apart, today the level of degradation was very high. And at some stage, I think the tyres just ran out of rubber.
“I think they knew at Red Bull that it would have been a quite significant gamble to go to the end with the same set.
“And considering the fact that they had a new soft to put on, I think that was the right thing to do. And I think staying on the point of Red Bull, today they definitely took advantage of having new tyres, new medium, new soft.
“But at the same time, they showed a performance and a pace in the race that is meaningful that without the situation yesterday in Qualifying, I think Verstappen would have been there for the victory.”
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