Lando Norris dropped two positions at the start of the Spanish Grand Prix, losing out to Russell and Verstappen.
The McLaren team praised Norris for his cautious approach in avoiding any contact during the start of the race. However, this strategy ended up costing him a potential victory.
Despite starting from pole position, Norris fell to third on the first lap when he found himself sandwiched between Verstappen and Russell at turn 1.
Norris later regretted losing the position to Verstappen, as the Red Bull driver managed to overtake Russell on the third lap and create a significant gap between them.
Although Norris was able to recover to second place relatively easily, thanks to fresher tires later in the race, he finished 2.2 seconds behind Verstappen after a final push.
Norris blamed the start of the race for being the turning point, arguing that he had the faster car. However, McLaren boss Andrea Stella explained that Norris had no control over maintaining the lead.
Stella emphasized that the high aerodynamic downforce setup of the cars amplified the drafting effect on the long approach to turn 1, leaving Norris more vulnerable to being overtaken.
“For today, the main factor is that we couldn’t defend the first position,” Stella acknowledged. “That’s not surprising in Barcelona because of the long straight into turn one and the high aerodynamic downforce setup of the cars.
“As soon as you get a bit of a draft, it significantly increases your speed compared to the car in front. That means Lando couldn’t defend his pole position.”
Instead, Stella chose to highlight Norris’ smart decision-making during the start and praised his ability to avoid damage to his car.
“I really appreciated your wise approach,” Stella added. “He stayed out of trouble, knowing that the race would come to us. However, the time lost behind Russell was too much.
“The two decisive factors were losing some positions in turn one and the time lost behind Russell. The pit stop also cost us another second.
“But even that second, if we had stayed behind Verstappen at the start, I believe we would have had a good chance to compete.”
Stella remains calm about Norris’ criticism of his own performance in Barcelona and emphasized that discussing such “minor” issues demonstrates McLaren’s progress.
According to Stella, Norris’ self-criticism is a characteristic of his personality and sometimes people focus more on his style than the content of what he says.
Stella believes Norris’ start in the race was really good. He was almost in front of Max, but Russell took advantage of Norris and Max’s slipstream.
In the first corner, Stella believes Norris made a wise decision to avoid risks that could have ended his race. McLaren wants to stay in the race and not take unnecessary risks.
From an opportunities standpoint, Stella sees this as a minor detail. Norris could have had an even better start, maybe just a meter ahead. But it’s a small difference, and Norris shouldn’t be too hard on himself for it.
Stella appreciates that Norris tends to focus on his own areas of improvement rather than blaming external factors. Instead of complaining about the length of the Barcelona straight, Norris looks at his own opportunities to improve.
Stella believes that this mentality allows pilots to work on the variables they can control. McLaren does not overreact to Norris being hard on himself because they know it is a characteristic that will continue to develop over time.
Overall, Stella thinks Norris did very well throughout the weekend and will continue to improve his approach in the coming years.
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Soccer player Cristiano Ronaldo made an incredible move during yesterday’s match. The Portuguese striker showed skill and precision in scoring a bicycle kick goal, leaving the fans in ecstasy. The move happened at the 25th minute of the second half and was the winning goal for Ronaldo’s team. The player celebrated by raising his arms in the air and being applauded by the crowd.
Ronaldo, who currently plays for the Italian club Juventus, has been one of the highlights of the season. With this impressive move, he once again proves why he is considered one of the best players in the world. His technical ability and capacity to score goals in crucial moments make him a key player for any team.
The match yesterday was exciting from start to finish. Both teams showed aggressive and determined soccer. However, it was Ronaldo’s talent that made the difference in the final score. The fans left the stadium satisfied with the victory and eager to see more incredible plays from the star.
This is not the first time Ronaldo has scored a bicycle kick goal. In 2018, he also made a similar move during a Champions League match. His acrobatic ability and precision in his shots are characteristics that make him a unique player.
With this victory, Ronaldo’s team remains in the lead of the championship. The player has been crucial to the team’s success and his influence on and off the field is undeniable. The fans of the star eagerly await to see what he still has to offer this season.
In summary, Cristiano Ronaldo once again showed why he is considered one of the best football players in the world. His bicycle kick during yesterday’s match was simply incredible and left the fans ecstatic. With his talent and skill, he continues to be a reference in the sport and an inspiration for many young players.
