“This Is What Champions Do”: McLaren Boss Jumps to Lando Norris’ Defence Over Toxic Behavior

In the aftermath of the heated exchange during the opening stages of the Dutch Grand Prix at the end of August, where Lando Norris openly vented his frustration over the team radio, McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has stepped forward to defend the young driver’s actions. The chief insists that Norris’ fiery way of holding people accountable is exactly “what champions do.”

During the race, Norris experienced a surge of frustration following what he perceived to be a strategic misstep by his team, leading to an expletive-laden series of messages to his race engineer. Later, reflecting on the incident, Norris admitted to having made himself “look like an idiot.”

Despite the driver’s own self-critique, Stella holds a different viewpoint. “At the time Lando made the comment that I understand was broadcast, he was obviously frustrated,” Stella remarked. “He was frustrated because he realized that we were missing an opportunity by staying out one lap too much, and this is because the pit wall misread the situation. So Lando was addressing it, this is what champions do,” Stella concluded to Sky Sports.

Stella stood firm in his support for Lando Norris, emphasizing the indispensable role of a challenging and accountable culture in molding champions. Stella stressed the importance of a driver who actively critiques and pushes the team towards continual improvement, affirming McLaren’s sound foundation in fostering open and robust dialogue. He urged a careful assessment of isolated incidents, encouraging a broader perspective before forming judgments based on single comments made in the spur of the moment.

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In light of Stella’s previous comments emphasizing the role of open dialogue and accountability in fostering champions, the events of the Italian Grand Prix put the McLaren team dynamics under an intense spotlight, showcasing the fiery competitive spirits of both Lando Norris and rookie Oscar Piastri.

McLaren team dynamics under strain as Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri clash at the Italian Grand Prix

During the recent Italian Grand Prix, the first stint saw Piastri ahead of Norris, setting the stage for a potential undercut strategy. The tension reached its pinnacle as Norris pitted first, leading to an intense side-by-side encounter post-Piastri’s pit stop. The ensuing clash into the first chicane left team boss Andrea Stella unimpressed, as he expressed his disdain over the contact, emphasizing that such incidents are not representative of McLaren’s racing ethos.

“There should never ever be contact between two McLaren cars. There was contact, which doesn’t fit the way we go racing at McLaren,” Stella told the media after the race, highlighting the growing discord within the team.

The escalating rivalry brings to the forefront Norris’ mounting frustrations, as seen in his explicit radio rants during the Dutch Grand Prix. Former F1 driver Timo Glock pointed out the evident irritation in Norris in his column for Sky Deutschland. He postulated that the continuous pressure from Piastri, who has been steadily closing the gap, might be aggravating the situation. “I’ve noticed that Lando Norris is annoyed or comes across as annoyed on the radio in several races,” Glock noted, predicting more turbulent times ahead for the McLaren team if the internal dynamics remain unchecked.

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As the 2023 F1 season unfolds, McLaren finds itself at a critical juncture where management of team dynamics will be as vital as the performance of its upgraded MCL60. It remains to be seen how the team navigates the choppy waters of a budding rivalry while maintaining their upward trajectory in the championship.