Zandvoort DNF might unleash ‘even better version’ of Lando Norris – McLaren

McLaren Formula 1 team boss Andrea Stella has again praised Lando Norris’ personality, and warned he might unleash his full potential following his Dutch Grand Prix retirement.

Norris was a close second behind team-mate and championship leader Oscar Piastri in the Zandvoort race when smoke started billowing out of his MCL39 with just eight laps remaining. “The engine just shut off and that was it,” the McLaren driver lamented. He retired on the spot.

Norris has openly admitted that all he can do now is “try to win every race”, due to his deficit to Piastri ballooning to 34 points in the drivers’ standings. The Briton has made a few mistakes under pressure this season, and Stella expects him to shine as a dark horse for the title.

“He’s a very mature person,” Stella defined. “He’s one of the most fair, balanced – in a way I would almost say trustworthy – individuals, before being so as a driver.

“So when he says he’s going to be full commitment or whatever he said, it just means that if anything, he will try to extract out of himself even more from his incredible potential. I look forward to seeing what Lando will be conditioned to express because we know that his talent is immense and I’m sure this situation in the championship will give him extra motivation to try and extract it.

Lando Norris, McLaren, Andrea Stella, McLaren

Photo by: Jayce Illman / Getty Images

“We will give, if anything, maximum support to make sure that he is staying in the fighting spirit. But like we said before, I think this will come very naturally and, if anything, we may see even a better version of Lando because now is the time to extract – if there is anything more – even more out of his potential.

“So I look forward to seeing Lando in the coming races. I’m sure this is going to be a great spectacle for Formula 1 and, if anything, it’s going to make the competition with Oscar even more interesting.”

Stella reiterated McLaren’s ethos of treating both drivers equally, letting them battle for the title in the fairest possible way – regardless of the 18 points Norris just lost thanks to a reliability issue.

“When it comes to the team, what’s important is that the team keeps racing in the same way we have gone racing so far,” the Italian said. “So staying as neutral as possible, facilitating the pursuit of their own aspirations for Lando and Oscar in a balanced way, in a fair way, in a sportsmanlike way, and that’s what we will continue to do.

“I don’t think there’s any change in the approach of the team that is triggered based on the fact that we have this situation in Zandvoort.”

Photos from Dutch GP – Race