McLaren Formula 1 boss Andrea Stella has detailed how losing the 2021 Russian Grand Prix proved to be a turning
Norris secured his first Formula 1 victory after a long wait, benefiting from a well-timed Safety Car intervention in Miami to beat Max Verstappen from Red Bull. In a previous race in Sochi in 2021, Norris lost the lead due to a team decision during a rain shower, allowing Lewis Hamilton to win. McLaren’s Racing Director, Stella, believed the team was at fault for the missed victory in Sochi and never doubted Norris’s potential. Stella emphasized the importance of teamwork and decision-making under pressure, recognizing Norris’s strengths as a driver. The win in Miami marked the first time in recent years that a driver outside of Red Bull had claimed victory, signaling a new era of competition in Formula 1. Stella praised Red Bull’s achievements but hoped for McLaren to pose a closer challenge in the future.
