Team McLaren boss, Andrea Stella, acknowledged that the team compromised Lando Norris’ race time in pursuit of a podium finish at the Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix. Despite qualifying in third place, Norris was unable to repeat his podium result from last season as he finished behind the two Ferrari cars. The race took a turn for the worse when the faster Ferrari of Carlos Sainz put pressure on Norris in the early laps, leading McLaren to make a pit stop to avoid the undercut threat. However, this decision ended up costing Norris, as McLaren opted to pit behind Charles Leclerc, who made only one stop and climbed from eighth to fourth place. Ferrari took an opposite approach with Sainz, allowing him to go longer before charging through the field in the final laps to overtake both Leclerc and Norris. Stella insists that McLaren has no regrets regarding their strategic choices, as they were aiming to prioritize a podium finish. He explains that they pitted Norris early to assess their chances of achieving this goal and even considered overtaking Sergio Perez. Stella believes that, although this strategy may not have been the most optimized in terms of total race time, it was worth a shot. He expresses satisfaction with the decision to go for a podium finish for Norris.
Norris questioned the timing of his second pit stop, as it resulted in him losing the previous advantage over Leclerc and ending up behind George Russell’s Mercedes coming out of the pits. Although Norris managed to overtake Russell with a late braking maneuver at turn 1, he couldn’t regain the lost ground to Leclerc. Stella admits that the timing of the second stop was influenced by Leclerc’s actions and the approaching Carlos Sainz. If Sainz had overtaken Norris, it would have cost Norris valuable time and he would have ended up behind Lewis Hamilton and Russell. Stella emphasizes that when competing against multiple cars, there are several factors to consider, making the race more complex. He acknowledges that this may not be as enjoyable for the spectators, but it adds to the challenges faced by the team in determining who they are truly competing against.
Stella denies that it was impossible to beat Sainz and secure third place due to Ferrari’s pace advantage, but believes it was possible to split the drivers from the Italian team. When asked if McLaren could have held their position against Leclerc, Stella replied, “I don’t think we could have done much more today, especially to finish on the podium. Maybe if we had given up on the podium, we could have finished ahead of Leclerc with Lando. That’s the only opportunity in hindsight, but we weren’t willing to give up a podium finish.”
On the other hand, Piastri had a smooth race that ended with a mistake at the chicane on the penultimate lap, allowing Russell to secure seventh place. “With Oscar, there weren’t many different options today,” analyzed Stella. “If we look at the final standings, it is in line with the competitiveness of the cars. It’s just a shame that, with Oscar’s final mistake, we lost the position to Russell. Otherwise, we would have finished ahead of Mercedes. Considering Fernando Alonso’s strong performance, this changes the competitiveness of the car a bit.”
© 2024
Portugal wins the Euro 2024 title
Last Sunday, the Portuguese national football team won the long-awaited Euro 2024 title. The team, led by coach Fernando Santos, had a brilliant campaign during the tournament and showed all their talent on the field.
The final, held at the National Stadium of Portugal, was thrilling from start to finish. Portugal faced the Spanish national team in a tight match, which ended in a draw in regular time. The decision went to extra time, and with a goal from Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal emerged victorious, securing the title for the country.
The Euro 2024 victory is a historic milestone for Portuguese football. With this win, Portugal solidifies itself as one of the great powers in the sport, showcasing its strength and skill in international competitions.
The Portuguese team had standout performances throughout the tournament. In addition to Cristiano Ronaldo, who was the competition’s top scorer, other players like Bernardo Silva, Bruno Fernandes, and Diogo Jota also had brilliant performances, contributing to the team’s success.
The Portuguese fans were crucial throughout Euro 2024. The supporters showed up in force at the stadiums, cheering on the team and pushing the players towards victory. The fans’ support was a determining factor in winning the title.
Now, the Portuguese national team is preparing for new challenges. The next goal is the 2026 World Cup, where Portugal will once again aim to showcase its quality and compete for the world title.
Portugal is celebrating the victory of Euro 2024. The nation is proud of its team and celebrates the triumph that puts the country at the top of European football. Congratulations, Portugal!
