McLaren crew principal Andrea Stella believes Max Verstappen delivered among the finest wins of his profession within the Sao Paulo Grand Prix, however defended his personal crew’s calls that restricted it to sixth and eighth.
Verstappen received a moist race from seventeenth on the grid, climbing by way of the sector to safe victory almost 20 seconds forward of the 2 Alpine drivers. Lando Norris began on pole place however slipped to sixth behind George Russell and Charles Leclerc by the tip, and Stella believes the consequence was a mixture of Verstappen’s efficiency and the McLaren missing uncooked tempo within the circumstances.
“The very first thing I wish to say is to congratulate Max for one in all his finest victories of his profession, from the place he began,” Stella mentioned. “A terrific drive and likewise nice tempo, as a result of he moved up the sector due to the tempo and likewise thanks to creating a courageous determination within the scenario that then led to the pink flag, by not stopping and staying out on tires that have been comparatively worn on the time.
“This performed to the benefit of Max and the benefit of Alpine, and I believe even Alpine additionally positively deserve congratulations for the double podium end.
“When it comes to the race itself, (it was) dominated by many episodes. Along with the episodes that I’ll cowl, we additionally need to acknowledge that our automobile didn’t take pleasure in any explicit tempo benefit.
“We weren’t the quickest automobile on the market on intermediate tires like we have been on dry tires. So if something, there’s the primary alternative to look into how we are able to go sooner with intermediate tires.”
Norris was combating Russell for the lead for the primary a part of the race however misplaced out after altering tires earlier than a pink flag interval, and Stella mentioned it was simpler for Verstappen and Alpine to gamble at that stage given their relative positions adrift of the battle for the win.
“For Lando, a lack of one place initially, then we have been sooner than Russell however no approach to overtake, after which at some stage when the rain began to extend, each drivers in equity acknowledged that we would have liked new rubber to remain out in these circumstances,” he mentioned. “The explanation why this determination didn’t repay is definitely the rain grew to become very intense, main, along with the crash, to a pink flag.
“We thought on the time that with the Digital Security Automobile, and the elevated quantity of water on monitor, it was necessary to go on the brand new tire. And I believe with out the pink flag, and with rather less depth – which is at all times troublesome to foretell – it might have been fairly troublesome for the those who didn’t change the tires.
“Generally you look sensible since you decide to one thing, and it’s at all times simple to commit when you’re behind, and also you appear like a hero.
“I’m right here congratulating them for his or her choices, however on the identical time I again the choice that we made as a result of it got here with the complete settlement of the drivers, the pit wall, and likewise a little bit however of cause as to ‘we have to ensure that we keep on monitor as a result of we compete for factors, we compete for each championships, and we have to end races’.
“Personally I’m not very comfy leaving a automobile on the market with tires which are fairly worn with that quantity of water. So with out the pink flag, we might be commenting on one other race right here.”
Whereas Russell went on to complete fourth, Norris dropped to sixth after twice operating off monitor, however Stella mentioned these incidents have been extra car-related than driver error.
“Lando misplaced a few positions due to lock-ups,” he mentioned. “We struggled with these lock-ups all weekend in moist circumstances with each drivers, and I believe from a automobile viewpoint that is additionally one thing that we have to look into.
“For Oscar the race was, in a approach, a little bit caught on this seventh or eighth place. No approach to overtake, after which we obtained the penalty – which was honest, deserved. We paid it on the finish, and fortunately it solely value us one place. In order that’s the abstract of the day. Eventful, many episodes, a number of the choices didn’t repay as we anticipated however we have been additionally considering they have been fairly wise on the time.”
