Sunday’s Monaco Grand Prix may not have been the stuff of Formula 1 legend. The new two-stop rule perhaps failed to deliver the improvement to the “racing spectacle” the sport’s governing body was hoping for, as teams such as Williams and Visa Cash App Racing Bulls played the team game, backing up their second driver to create space on the track for their lead car. While that strategy worked, allowing Williams and VCARB to place their drivers in the points, it frustrated many around the sport.
A driver who was not frustrated? Lando Norris, who capped off a magical week by taking his first win at the Monaco Grand Prix, after capturing pole position on Sunday.
It was, in the words of his Team Principal, a “cold blood” performance.
“I think Lando kept the high standards, the quality of execution and the lucidity that he has had throughout the weekend, I have to say. He was faster from Lap 1 in FP1 and he kept building, to capitalize on a pole position,” McLaren Team Principal Andrea Stella said to the media after the race.
“And today, he went through various situations which required cold blood, I would say.”
The win from Norris was his second of the season, as the McLaren driver won the season-opening Australian Grand Prix. Norris’ victory pulled him to within just three points of teammate Oscar Piastri in the Drivers’ Championship race.
Stella believes more wins are coming from Norris.
“So, I really think that Lando deserves to be praised for a very, very well managed and executed weekend. And I think this is just the start of many more coming in the future,” added Stella.
The McLaren boss admitted there were some stressful moments along the pit wall, particularly in the later half of the race. Not only did Norris have to deal with traffic as Charles Leclerc closed in but Max Verstappen, who was leading the race, slowed his pace to back Norris into Leclerc.
Verstappen waited until the closing laps to make his second mandatory pit stop.
“The main stressful point for us came when Lando needed to go through the block of backmarkers for the second time. And we knew that that could have been a possibility for Ferrari to try an undercut with Leclerc,” added Stella. “But I have to say the strategy team were sharp in recognising that that was a risk and then calling Lando in. And then the pitstop crew did a very good pitstop and we covered this attack from Leclerc.”
For his part, Norris admitted that the final laps were the most stressful moments of the Monaco Grand Prix.
“I mean, the worst bit, really, was just the end,” said Norris trackside to Jenson Button after the race. “I felt quite under control the whole race. But Max was ahead, and Max was kind of backing it up a little bit. And I knew then that’s when Charles had the opportunity.
“So, I had to manage it quite a lot. I tried to back off of Max, so I could push when I needed to and chill when I needed to. I still had to manage. It was still a well-fought race. But I’m very happy. My team are very happy. And therefore, we’re going to have a wonderful night.”
A wonderful night, in what his Team Principal believes could be a wonderful season.
