Frustration engulfed the McLaren camp after Lando Norris failed to convert pole position into a win at the Spanish Grand Prix. Team principal Andrea Stella believes the difficulty of overtaking at the new Madring street circuit was the main factor that cost Norris victory, despite his early dominance.
Norris started from pole and immediately built a six-second lead in the first 12 laps. However, a virtual safety car (VSC) call changed everything. Being too far ahead, Norris couldn't pit in time and suffered a slow seven-second pit stop. As a result, he rejoined 16 seconds behind Kimi Antonelli.
Although he managed to catch and pass Antonelli and second-placed Max Verstappen, Norris was never able to make a move for the lead. According to Stella, the slow pit stop was not the main reason for Norris's failure. "Because probably Lando would have come out behind George Russell anyway," he said. "And even if not, it would not have been possible to overtake Verstappen and Antonelli."
Stella highlighted the characteristics of the new Madring circuit. Sunday's race featured only 10 overtaking moves, fewer than Monaco's 11. Turn 5 is the heaviest braking zone but follows a curve and is too narrow for manoeuvres. "It's a shame that overtaking is so difficult," Stella added. "F1 will have to review whether modifications are required at this circuit to introduce an overtaking possibility. At the moment, it's basically impossible to attempt an overtake – which is a shame because if overtaking were possible today, Lando would have regained the lead, as the pace advantage was significant."
Norris's failure also highlights the importance of flawless pit stop execution. McLaren admits there is still work to do operationally. "We take note that there's a lot of work to do. It's not the first time we've had a slow stop," Stella said. "But in terms of the race itself, it didn't make a difference."
With this result, Norris missed the chance to maximise his momentum after securing pole. The drivers' championship is tightening, and McLaren must quickly address their weaknesses to consistently compete at the front. Meanwhile, Verstappen and Antonelli showed that consistency and calmness in chaos remain key.
Baca Juga
Andrea Stella sebut kesulitan menyalip di Madring biang keladi kegagalan Lando Norris memenangkan GP Spanyol meski start dari pole.
Toto Wolff dukung penyesuaian regulasi F1 untuk Honda agar lebih kompetitif, merespons komentar Ben Sulayem soal masa depan Alonso di Aston Martin.
Analisis mendalam mengapa balapan F1 Spanyol 2026 di Madring kurang seru. Faktor layout, ban keras C2, dan strategi menjadi penyebab utama.
Lanjutkan dengan Google
Diskusi & Komentar (0)
Mari Bergabung dalam Diskusi!
Masuk dengan mudah untuk mulai memberikan komentar, membalas, dan berinteraksi dengan pembaca lainnya.
Komentar Terbaru
Belum ada komentar. Jadilah yang pertama!