McLaren Confident Norris Had Pace to Win US GP Despite Second Place

Despite Lando Norris finishing second to Max Verstappen at the United States Grand Prix, McLaren team principal Andrea Stella believes Norris possessed the pace to win the race. Stella pointed to an early race incident involving Charles Leclerc as the critical moment that altered the outcome, suggesting McLaren's performance was strong enough to challenge for victory.

Why it matters:

• McLaren's confidence in its car's performance, even after losing ground to Red Bull in the championship standings, suggests a strong belief in their development trajectory.
• This perspective offers a counter-narrative to the dominant Red Bull victory, highlighting McLaren's potential and reinforcing their title aspirations.
• The team's analysis of missed opportunities at Turn 1 and the impact of the sprint race incident underscore the fine margins in F1 racing.

The Details:

• Race Pace Confidence: Andrea Stella stated that, without the need to battle Charles Leclerc in the early stages, Lando Norris "had the pace to win the race."
• Decisive Moment: Stella identified Norris losing track position to Leclerc at Turn 1 as the key factor that compromised his race and prevented a direct challenge to Verstappen.
• Norris's View: Lando Norris, while acknowledging the car's pace, expressed skepticism about directly challenging Verstappen, citing the difficulty in clearing Leclerc as an indicator of how tough it would have been to fight the Red Bull.
• Qualifying Regrets: Norris reflected on qualifying, suggesting that not securing a perfect lap on Saturday ultimately set him back, rather than regretting the race strategy itself.
• Sprint Race Impact: Stella believes the Saturday sprint race incident, which saw both McLaren drivers collide, deprived the team of crucial track data. This limited their ability to optimize ride heights, potentially leaving performance on the table for the main race.

Looking Ahead:

McLaren remains resolute in its championship pursuit, with Stella emphasizing that the outcome of the season is "in our hands." Despite the US GP result, the team sees no need for a change in upgrade plans or overall strategy. The focus will be on maximizing performance in the remaining races, with the belief that their car has the inherent speed to contend for the title if execution is perfect and track position can be maintained.