At the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix, Lando Norris nearly surpassed Max Verstappen, falling just a few tenths short.
Did Lando Norris need just one more lap to pass Max Verstappen for the win at Imola? McLaren team principal Andrea Stella suggested Verstappen had rather judged his tyre life to perfection.
Verstappen seemed to have enough speed during the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix to fend off Norris, who surprised everyone with his first F1 win in Miami. However, Norris started closing in on Verstappen’s lead during their second stint on the hard tires.
‘Max Verstappen made sure he had just enough for Imola win’
Additional reporting by Thomas Maher
With a margin of only 0.7 seconds across the finish line, Verstappen successfully defended his position against Norris to claim his fifth victory of the season. However, Norris expressed that he believed he could have launched an offensive against the leader for the Championship if there had been one more lap.
When questioned by media, including PlanetF1.com’s Thomas Maher, about Norris’ evaluation, McLaren team boss Stella refrained from agreeing. Instead, she proposed that Verstappen effectively managed his tire usage to ensure he had sufficient resources to secure the win.
Stella responded to Norris’ theory, saying, “In my opinion, there were already 63 laps completed, which is quite a lot.”
I believe Max effectively managed his budget throughout the 63 laps, ensuring it was sufficient to maintain his lead position.
Furthermore, I believe it is beneficial to strive for triumph at the conclusion of the race. However, when examining the initial segment, it becomes evident that Max was steadily widening the gap. In my opinion, this race was intriguing due to the tires’ ability to function optimally within a limited range. Consequently, a blend of the driver’s skill, the car’s attributes, and the tire management techniques employed resulted in diverse and competitive scenarios.
In the initial phase, Max appeared to have command, and it was important for us to keep an eye on the mirrors alongside Lando, despite Oscar’s significant pressure on Carlos.
In the second stint, Lando strategically managed his tires from the beginning as he noticed that the medium ones were struggling. This indicated that it would be challenging to complete the remaining laps on the hard tires. Additionally, we observed that drivers who used hard tires in the initial stint, such as Sergio Perez, did not perform exceptionally well.
From this perspective, it was undoubtedly a strategic move, and I believe Lando executed it brilliantly by preserving his tires for a significant portion of the second stint and strategically utilizing them towards the conclusion.
“However, there were moments when Charles Leclerc showcased the fastest car on the track, making it an incredibly intriguing race from this perspective.”
I believe that having multiple competitive cars has proven to be advantageous as it introduces a range of different scenarios. This aspect has been highly enjoyable, especially when observing from the pit wall.
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When asked about the possibility of Piastri posing a greater strategic threat to Verstappen if he hadn’t been stuck behind the Ferraris, Stella contended that McLaren lacked the necessary speed during the initial phase to make it feasible.
He proceeded to shower Verstappen with praise, acknowledging that it was his exceptional driving skills that ultimately determined the race’s outcome.
When asked if McLaren could have employed strategic tactics, Stella expressed, “In my opinion, Max’s pace during the initial stint on medium tires was simply better than ours.”
“We were able to reduce the race time by strategically managing the tire budget, especially with Lando. It wouldn’t have been feasible for us to engage in tactical maneuvers by having someone stop early. I believe we made the most of our opportunities.”
I believe Red Bull has a fantastic car, and it’s only fair to acknowledge that. However, it’s important to recognize the driving skills displayed by Max Verstappen, who emerged as the race winner. Our team’s goal is to consistently demonstrate our potential for victory. During the weekend, there were moments when Ferrari seemed to have the fastest car, but Max’s performance in qualifying proved otherwise. The race itself was unpredictable, but it was crucial for us to remain competitive throughout.
When asked about Verstappen’s ability to gain an advantage during the second phase of race starts, Stella was questioned on whether McLaren could address this through a software modification. However, Stella chose to commend Verstappen instead, seeing it as an opportunity to give him more credit.
Stella praised Verstappen’s exceptional consistency in race starts, describing it as “amazing”. She emphasized that Verstappen’s performance sets the benchmark for all aspects of racing, which McLaren should also aim to achieve.
Stella responded to the software change suggestion, stating, “I believe Verstappen’s consistency in launches is truly remarkable. While he often secures pole position, he rarely relinquishes his lead at the first corner.”
“Once again, achieving consistent launches is a testament to the quality of our efforts.”
“I frequently express my deep admiration for their remarkable ability to achieve consistent victories, as there are countless potential pitfalls along the way. Unfortunately, we have demonstrated this ourselves with an error during the qualifying phase of our operations.”
“However, in order to achieve such consistent launches, it is crucial to have a skilled driver, well-prepared tires, and a powerful engine during the acceleration phase. These factors can provide a slight advantage, such as a quicker reaction time as demonstrated by Lando.”
“If you consistently have a strong start, like Verstappen does, you don’t just luck into gaining positions. This demonstrates the importance of performing well in all aspects to achieve success, which is exactly what we are striving for.”
In 2024, Verstappen secured his third consecutive win at Imola.
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