P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Stella defends McLaren F1 team strategy in “complex” Japanese GP
Norris started the race in third position but lost out to Ferrari drivers Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc, finishing in fifth place. Leclerc made an impressive climb from eighth on the grid to fourth using a one-stop strategy. After the race, Norris suggested he could have delayed his final pitstop to potentially improve his race outcome, but the team believed they made the right strategic decisions for a podium chance. Despite some questioning of the pit timing, the team had to consider not just Ferrari but also Mercedes drivers Lewis Hamilton and George Russell during the race. Although there were discussions about potential changes to beat Leclerc, the team felt finishing on the podium was a priority they didn’t want to sacrifice. Stella also mentioned that Piastri had a quieter race, finishing eighth after losing a position to Russell in the final laps, but overall, there were limited options available for Piastri during the race.
