Lando Norris lauds key figure in McLaren F1 revival

Lando Norris, McLaren, Abu Dhabi, 2022 — Photo: © LAT Images

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Norris lauds key figure in McLaren F1 revival

The racer has hailed one man in particular for McLaren's turnaround in 2023

Tyler Rowlinson

Monday 4 December 2023 15:57

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Lando Norris has lauded McLaren team principal Andrea Stella for the team's incredible turnaround in the 2023 season.

Stella, who was appointed to the role over the winter after Andreas Seidl departed for Sauber, endured a torrid start as McLaren battled with an underdeveloped car.

The Woking side suffered their worst start to an F1 season since 2000, after they sat bottom of the constructors' championship with zero points in the first two races.

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But after a substantial upgrade package was introduced after the Austrian Grand Prix in July, the team became regular podium contenders.

Andrea Stella was appointed as McLaren boss over the winter

McLaren finished fourth in the constructors' championship in 2023

Oscar Piastri grabbed his maiden win in F1 in the Qatar Sprint race

Norris: None better than Stella

"I did an interview the other day, and I just said a big thanks to him," Norris told the media when asked about Stella's debut season at the helm.

"Everything isn't just on him. You've got to thank a lot of other people in the team because they're the ones who have done a lot of the work.

"Andrea is just the director of it all. He's the producer of the set, and everyone else is the cast.

"I'm very, very happy with having him where he is. It settles a lot for the team, I guess on the weekend in terms of racing and qualifying and all of that, but I couldn't ask for a better team principal. So, yeah, grateful."

McLaren's upturn in form in the second half of the season saw Norris and team-mate Oscar Piastri grab nine top-three finishes between them, with the Australian securing his first win in F1 in the sprint race in Qatar.

The team were able to overturn what was at one point a 137-point deficit to secure fourth from Aston Martin in the constructors’ championship.