McLaren Point Finger at Hamilton for Blocking Norris’ Podium Charge
Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, Lando Norris, McLaren

McLaren Point Finger at Hamilton for Blocking Norris’ Podium Charge

Stella Claims Norris Delivered a “Perfect Recovery” Until Hamilton Got in the Way

It was a race full of what-ifs for McLaren. And according to team principal Andrea Stella, one of the biggest unanswered questions of the weekend was what Lando Norris might have achieved had it not been for Lewis Hamilton playing the role of the immovable object at the worst possible time.

After what Stella described as a near-flawless race from his young British driver, McLaren left the paddock with mixed feelings: proud of Norris’ performance, but frustrated by a sequence of events — specifically involving Hamilton — that cost them a potential podium finish.

A Costly Error on Saturday

The trouble for Norris started on Saturday. A small but costly mistake in qualifying saw him line up only P10 on the grid, far from the ideal starting position in a field as competitive as Formula 1’s 2024 grid.

To make matters worse, the likes of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz — key rivals for podium contention — had secured the front row, making Norris’ mountain that much steeper to climb.

But rather than dwell on what went wrong, McLaren chose to be bold on Sunday. They opted for a different tyre strategy, putting Norris on the hard compound at the start, aiming to extend the first stint and take advantage of clean air and race pace later on.

It almost worked.

Strategic Brilliance from McLaren… Almost

“Lando executed our plan perfectly,” Stella explained after the race. “We discussed tyre choice in detail and settled on the hards because we wanted to create a window where we could really use our pace advantage.”

The Italian team boss revealed that long-run simulations on Friday had shown Norris as one of the quickest drivers on the grid — even quicker than Leclerc in race trim. “That gave us the confidence to go aggressive. We knew if we put him in the right position, he could attack.”

And for a while, it looked like McLaren had pulled it off. Norris made steady progress through the field, navigating traffic with the kind of calm and calculated aggression that has become his trademark. As pit stops shook out and strategies unfolded, he found himself within striking distance of the podium positions.

But that’s when the plan began to unravel — courtesy of a familiar foe.

The Hamilton Factor

For two consecutive laps, Norris sat in Hamilton’s slipstream as the pair entered the first DRS zone. Twice, he tried to make a move. Twice, Hamilton, a master of defensive driving, used the second DRS zone to snatch the place back.

It was textbook Lewis. Savvy, legal, and infuriating for the driver behind.

“Lewis knows exactly how to manage these situations,” said Stella, half-admiringly, half-exasperated. “He kept Lando behind just long enough to compromise our strategy. That’s the kind of racecraft you can’t teach — but it also cost us dearly.”

Dirty Air and Lost Time

The problem wasn’t just about overtaking. While stuck behind Hamilton, Norris had to endure the notorious ‘dirty air’ effect, which plays havoc with a car’s aerodynamics and causes increased tyre degradation.

Even though Stella insisted that tyre wear wasn’t severe enough to ruin Norris’ race, he acknowledged that it was enough to dull the edge of McLaren’s advantage.

“We needed a clean run to really unleash our pace,” he said. “Instead, we lost those crucial seconds behind Lewis. That made the difference. If we’d cleared him earlier, I truly believe Lando could’ve challenged Leclerc for the final podium spot.”

The Podium That Slipped Away

As it happened, Norris managed to overtake George Russell in the latter stages of the race, a move that Stella called “critical” in salvaging what could’ve been an anonymous finish.

But the damage was already done. Leclerc, unbothered by the chaos unfolding behind, had built a comfortable cushion in P3. Norris simply ran out of laps — and rubber — to close the gap.

“It’s not about blaming Lewis,” Stella clarified. “He did what he had to do. But the fact remains, the time we lost behind him was the difference between fighting for third and settling for fifth.”

Norris’ Rising Stock

Despite missing out on a podium, Norris once again showed why he’s considered one of the most complete drivers on the grid. The way he recovered from a poor qualifying session, executed a contrarian strategy, and made bold overtakes without putting a wheel wrong did not go unnoticed.

“He drove a beautiful race,” Stella beamed. “Mature, fast, and smart. It’s the kind of performance that reminds you why we have so much faith in him.”

Even critics who have questioned whether Norris can consistently deliver when the pressure is on would’ve found it hard not to be impressed. The 24-year-old is evolving, and McLaren’s upward trajectory this season owes much to his increasingly polished performances.

A Season of Margins

For McLaren, the 2024 season continues to be one of small margins. The car is quick — sometimes deceptively so — and the team is operating with a new level of confidence and precision. But the results haven’t quite matched the potential.

Whether it’s strategic gambles not paying off, or finding themselves on the wrong side of traffic, or, as in this case, being held up by a seven-time world champion — the story is one of near-misses.

That said, there’s no panic at Woking. Stella and his team know that if they keep performing at this level, the podiums — and possibly wins — will come.

“We’ve taken a big step forward,” he said. “We just need to keep putting ourselves in these positions. One of these weekends, everything will fall into place.”

Respect Between Rivals

Interestingly, there’s no animosity between Norris and Hamilton. The two share a mutual respect, and Hamilton himself was complimentary of Norris’ drive when asked post-race.

“It’s always tough racing Lando,” Hamilton said. “He’s smart, he’s clean, and he’s quick. I had to use every trick in the book to stay ahead.”

That’s racing at the elite level — respect, rivalry, and razor-thin gaps.

What Comes Next?

McLaren will no doubt go back to the factory with a mix of pride and frustration. But they also know they’re in the fight. And if Norris continues to drive like this, it’s only a matter of time before the silverware returns.

As for the Hamilton-Norris duel, it may have denied McLaren a celebration this weekend, but it offered fans yet another glimpse into the thrilling chess match that is modern Formula 1.

And really — who could complain about that?

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