McLaren boss Andrea Stella lauded praise on Lando Norris for negotiating “various situations which required cold blood” to prevail in Formula 1‘s Monaco Grand Prix.
Norris ended a six-race run without a win as he converted pole position into a maiden triumph in Monte Carlo to close to three points behind team-mate Oscar Piastri.
The Briton’s position came under immediate threat at the start as Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc drew alongside him, causing the McLaren to lock up on the inside at Turn 1.
But having managed to retain the place, Norris set about opening up a gap and he possessed a six-second advantage once the second pit stops had been completed.
However, Norris’ hard work was soon undone as lost time behind backmarkers, coupled with Max Verstappen’s long-running Red Bull, wiped out his margin to Leclerc.
Norris remained calm and composed to bide his time until Verstappen pitted on the penultimate lap, though, to cruise home to a memorable victory in the Principality.
“He was just calm, cool throughout,” Stella told media including Motorsport Week.
“I think Lando kept the high standards, the quality of execution and the lucidity that he has had throughout the weekend, I have to say.
“He was faster from lap one in practice one and he kept building from lap one in practice one to capitalise on a pole position.
“And today, like you say, he went through various situations which required cold blood, I would say.
“Especially, I think the most stressful moment was when he went for the second time through the back markers, knowing that we could have called him in and he stayed very lucid.
“No panic, he came in. So, I really think that Lando deserves to be praised for a very, very well-managed and executed weekend.
“And I think this is just the start of many more coming in the future.”
Norris Monaco win not ‘a turning point’
Stella discarded the notion that Norris’ win – his first since the opening race in Australia – should be regarded as a “turning point” in his quest to land the ultimate prize.
“I don’t want to think about a turning point, because I think the journey that we are going through with Lando, which is the counterpart of a journey that we are going through with Oscar, they are simply different in terms of what we are doing, because the two drivers are in different phases, or were in different phases, and because of the characteristics and the opportunities to work on,” he expanded. “So, this is a journey that is not changed by one stage of the journey.
“Certainly, this one can help a lot with the consolidation of the work that we have done.
“It shows that when you put together and you pull off good work, and you believe in this work, then you see the results.
“So, I think this can cement what we have done so far, but for me we are nowhere near at the final destination.
“But for Lando and Oscar, the talent that we have available, that can be exploited, is still at the start of the journey.
“So, I’m really looking forward to seeing the development of Lando and Oscar, because for us at McLaren, we hope so, we worked hard for that to be the case, but also for Formula 1, in terms of having these talents flourishing in the future, I think this is a very exciting journey.”
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