McLaren boss Andrea Stella has claimed the Formula 1 Drivers’ title was “always secondary” to the team winning the Constructors’ Championship in the 2024 season.
The Woking-based squad went into the Sao Paulo Grand Prix courting a championship double with Lando Norris still holding an outside shot against Max Verstappen.
But while he lined up on pole position, Norris slumped to sixth place in Brazil as Verstappen won from 17th on the grid to all but end the McLaren driver’s minor hopes.
Verstappen’s remarkable turnaround has seen the margin between the two grow to 62 points, meaning the Dutchman can retain the crown next time out in Las Vegas.
However, Sergio Perez’s struggles in the other Red Bull and Ferrari’s below-par weekend ensured McLaren extended its advantage to 36 points with three events to go.
Stella has contended that McLaren’s strive to help Norris catch Verstappen never outweighed the team’s commitment towards wanting to claim the Constructors’ title.
“In terms of the Constructors’ Championship, I don’t think it changes anything because it was always our priority,” Stella told media including Motorsport Week.
“Even when there was a call to be made to support one driver or the other, it was always secondary to actually maximizing the Constructors’ Championship.”
McLaren previews remaining rounds
Stella suspects that Ferrari could boast the advantage in Las Vegas later this month, but he anticipates both Qatar and Abu Dhabi suiting the MCL38’s characteristics.
“Now clearly we will have to analyse the points,” the Italian continued.
“Mathematically we are still in the championship – I haven’t looked at the classification, I hope I’m not wrong but it shouldn’t be the case.
“I think for Lando and for Oscar [Piastri] we will try and go to the next races trying to win the races.
“I think the last two venues should be quite good, Vegas will be potentially more of a Ferrari track, we will see.
“But all to play for and the Constructors’ Championship remains, and has always been, our priority.”
Norris mistakes not down to pressure
Meanwhile, Stella has denied the notion that the errors which saw Norris relinquish places on two restarts at Interlagos derived from him buckling under any pressure.
“When it comes to the Drivers’ Championship, I don’t think for Lando there was any particular pressure,” he reasoned. “To be honest we were enjoying this quest.
“Sometimes from the outside, it may come across like, ‘Oh there was an error there’.
“It’s just when you lock the tyres with a car we had today, I’m not looking at the drivers, I’m looking at why the car keeps locking the tyres in conditions like this.
“So I don’t think pressure was a significant factor at all.”
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