After an early crash by Nico Hülkenberg, everyone quickly made a pit stop under the safety car, except Norris and his teammate Oscar Piastri. Afterwards, the Brit was asked for his opinion on his team’s decision. “We could have done things differently, but we did what we thought was right. There was still a long race to go after that, so I focused on that and did my best.”
Max Verstappen praises ‘right call’ at Red Bull, Oscar Piastri less happy with team strategy
Lando Norris: ‘It’s not our best weekend’
“Maybe I should have followed Max,” the World Cup leader admits when asked further. “But then we both would have had to do it and then I would also be in trouble, because then the team would have had to double stack (performing two pit stops one after the other, ed.) and then I might have lost time too.”
“It’s something we have to discuss, but at that moment I have to have confidence that the team is making the right call. It’s obviously not our best weekend, but I’m still in a good position. We have to take this now,” said Norris.
Zak Brown admits mistake
McLaren CEO Zak Brown also joined Viaplay asked what he thought when he saw everyone except his drivers follow Max Verstappen’s example to enter the pit lane on lap 7. “We are wrong. Our evaluation was wrong. That seems quite clear to me. Of course that was a decisive lap.”
Max Verstappen remains in the race for the championship after sensational victory in Qatar, McLaren fails
“I feel terrible for Oscar and Lando,” Brown continued. “Oscar was brilliant this whole weekend and we disadvantaged him. Lando was also good. So yes, frustrating to give away a victory with two men on the podium. Especially considering the world championship.”
‘We let them down’
The CEO then joked about the thrilling denouement that now awaits in the World Cup. “You help boost the ratings, that was actually not our master plan. Let’s see what happens in Abu Dhabi. We won there last year and qualified on the front row. I have no doubt that we will be strong there. But now we have to give our drivers a big hug, because we let them down today.”
Formula 1 season to boiling point: this is how Max Verstappen can become champion in Abu Dhabi
McLaren team boss Andrea Stella said it does not change McLaren’s intention for the final GP and they will allow both drivers to race. To win the world title, Piastri must make up fourteen points on Norris and two on Verstappen.
