P1racenews AI automatic summary:
McLaren boss Andrea Stella explained why the team opted against the idea to start the F1 US GP on Soft tyres, an option taken by race rival Charles Leclerc.
McLaren chose not to start the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix on Soft tires, unlike their rival Charles Leclerc, according to team boss Andrea Stella. Lando Norris finished second in the race at Circuit of the Americas, battling Leclerc throughout the event.
Leclerc initially overtook Norris but was later passed by the McLaren driver before making a one-stop strategy move. Most drivers, including Norris, started the race on Medium tires, while Leclerc was the only one in the top half of the field to start on Softs.
Stella mentioned that had Norris managed to stay ahead of Leclerc at the start, he could have potentially challenged Max Verstappen for the win. McLaren did not consider the risk of starting on Soft tires like Ferrari did with Leclerc, a move that ultimately worked well for the Italian team in the race. Stella acknowledged Ferrari’s successful strategy and noted that they were surprised by the decision to start on Softs in the top 10.
