Stella says the “Lando Norris factor” contributed to pole in Zandvoort
McLaren Formula 1 team principal Andrea Stella has downplayed the role of the latest MCL38 update package in the team’s Zandvoort pole – and added that the “Lando Norris factor” played a part.
Norris stunned rivals by being over 0.3s faster than second placed Ma Verstappen on a track with a relatively short lap.
While McLaren brought a substantial package of new parts to the Dutch track Stella says that a combination of circumstances contributed to the impressive showing.
“I think we cannot read into the gap from pole position to the second position as this being a reflection of the upgrades that we took trackside,” he said. “Because the upgrades do not deliver this amount of performance.
“I think what we have seen today is the combination of several conditions that helped our car deliver a strong performance.
“First of all, I would classify this circuit in the category of Hungary, Barcelona, in which we have long corners in the medium speed range, which do suit our car characteristics very well. And in fact, we had pole position in Barcelona and in Hungary as well.
“Then the second factor is certainly the upgrades. Numerically, they seem like they have confirmed the expectations. So they did add some lap time compared to what was already a competitive baseline. Then we were in conditions today, if we want to mention a third factor, whereby there was no sunshine.
“Those relatively cold-ish truck and ambient temperature conditions, which again, seem to suit our car. And then I would say today we have seen also a bit of the Lando Norris factor. I’m not surprised at all, that Lando can put together this kind of performance, because he has done it in the past.
“And here in fairness it seems like he’s been in great shape throughout the entire weekend.
“So I think all these factors compounded may give this kind of result, which obviously is very encouraging, but I would take it with a pinch of salt, because all these factors may vary once we go to the next event.”
Verstappen has won all three Dutch GPs held in the modern era from pole position, and Stella acknowledged that ending that streak would be particularly satisfying.
“Even if I’m an engineer, I do recognise that beating Red Bull and Max here would have a special kind of flavour, even if numerically it may give the same amount of points!,” he said.
“But definitely this would have a special meaning. I would add to the special meaning the fact that Zandvoort has been a bit of a struggle for McLaren in terms of track layout, it has been a place where really we haven’t performed very well.
“So if we can confirm a strong performance tomorrow in the race, then this would be extremely encouraging in terms of the strides forward that we’ve been able to make.
“And it’s interesting that in the note I said before, actually the points of strength now, a circuit like this is what in the past, when I say the past, no more than 12 months ago, was our main weakness.”
Stella said that the change of fortunes showed that McLaren is going in the right direction.
“I think our technical team have been in condition to turn the characteristics of the car around, and make it more competitive in the areas where we were weak, and these are also areas that you find very frequently in most of the circuits.
“So it’s where you really want to be competitive, rather than being competitive in high speed and in straight line like we used to be a couple of seasons ago.”
Stella expects to see an intriguing race today, with much depending on Norris’s start from pole.
“They are the usual factors for the race, like first of all, the tyres,” he said. We will see how the tyres will behave, because there’s some options in terms of strategy.
“And I think nobody really knows whether some of these options will prevail rather than others, and it will be important to discover during the race what the behaviour of the tyres is.
“Then obviously the start itself and the first lap, I would really be interested in trying to see what we are able to do if we have a good start with Lando and we can take the lead and then see what the pace of the car is, rather than the pace being controlled by Verstappen for instance.
“Another variable is that Oscar is in a very strong position as well, and even if the three cars go off the grid in qualifying order, still, I think each of the three is in condition to have a go for the victory, because you can play with the strategy and therefore, there’s multiple options in terms of those who can win the race.
“And I wouldn’t certainly forget Mercedes and Russell, like we have seen, what they are capable of, and they are definitely in contention. So there’s a multiple amount of variables.”
Adam Cooper F1 