McLaren’s Strategy at Monza

McLaren had a strong race at the Italian Grand Prix despite a poor qualifying session. The team finished fourth and fifth, with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri battling on track without any team interference. Both drivers started on the same tyres and cars, and McLaren let them race freely in the closing laps.

Norris secured fourth place after starting eighth, while Piastri finished fifth, just 0.137 seconds behind Norris. Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli won the race, followed by George Russell in second and Max Verstappen in third. McLaren earned 22 points from the event.

Team principal Andrea Stella admitted that poor execution during qualifying left them starting sixth and eighth. However, the race saw better performance as both drivers fought for positions. Norris attempted to overtake Verstappen late in the race but had to first pass Piastri.

Stella explained that allowing the drivers to race was part of McLaren’s philosophy. He noted that Verstappen was faster but got caught up in defending. The team believed letting Norris and Piastri compete naturally was the best approach.

There were on-track incidents, including a moment where Norris went wide at Curva Grande but defended fairly against Piastri. Stella reviewed the incident and saw it as minor compared to the heat of the moment. He emphasized that while racing between teammates can cost time, it’s sometimes necessary for competitive reasons.

Looking ahead, McLaren heads to Madrid next. Stella expects less emphasis on drag in that race and remains realistic about their championship chances, focusing on one race at a time.