McLaren boss Andrea Stella has expressed that he is “not too worried” about the potential tactics Max Verstappen could use in Formula 1‘s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri will start the Abu Dhabi GP from second and third place, respectively, setting up a titanic title in the desert, with Verstappen on pole.
Verstappen, the sole Red Bull in the championship battle, must win the race to stand any realistic chance of securing a fifth title; Norris only requires third to seal it.
Red Bull decided to employ team tactics during qualifying, taking advantage of not having two drivers in the fight, with Yuki Tsunoda giving Verstappen a tow in Q3.
“I’m not necessarily surprised that Red Bull may play as a team, Stella told media including Motorsport Week.
“You know, it’s within their possibilities. I don’t think this is unfair. You gain a bit of performance just by having a slipstream.
“So, and in fact, I think if I’m not wrong, actually, the position lap is the lap after. So Max did it even without the tow, so fair game to Max.
“I think he was the fastest car today and he deserved the pole position and he got it. We are still in a good position for the race. So all still in our hands.”
McLaren is aware Verstappen could back up the pack
Probed on how Norris might approach the opening lap, Stella hinted that the Briton could employ a cautious approach to avoid getting caught up in potential incidents.
“I think from Lando’s point of view, considering the inside in Corner 1 in Abu Dhabi, I think he will just be relatively prudent,” he said.
“He’s one of those where, from the inside, not necessarily you get the better exit. The car on the outside can close, so I think there will be some prudency, which is, I think, what I would recommend, certainly to Lando, who is in a very strong position from this point of view.
“So I think that’s the approach. In terms of the options that Max has available to try and place cards, honestly, I’m not too worried.
“I think we will see some interesting racing, but I’m sure all this will happen within the boundaries of sportsmanship and fairness.”
Stella said having both McLarens together at the sharp end was an advantage when commenting on whether Verstappen could slow the field to threaten their position.
“I think it’s an advantage,” he explained.
“We have more options to play. At some stage, if you slow down too much, you may be susceptible to being attacked with undercuts.
“You may expose yourself in terms of being overtaken. So I think definitely it’s good that we are there with two cars.
“So no, that’s the position I would take rather than having the two cars split and separated on track.”
READ MORE – Why Lando Norris is in two minds over approach to F1 Abu Dhabi GP
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