Stella highlights the particular sting behind Norris' already painful DNF

15:50, 01 Sep

Updated: 15:57, 01 Sep

byNorberto Mujica

Andrea Stella, McLaren's team principal, has outlined the particularity in Lando Norris' Dutch GP retirement that hurts the entirety of the team the most.

It was going to be yet another dominant 1-2 for McLaren at the Dutch dunes. The papaya outfit in the harrowing and unforgiving Circuit Zandvoort track was once again the fastest by a long mile.

Nevertheless, as the race drew to a close, with Norris threatening to get inside current world championship leader Oscar Piastri's DRS, the only foe McLaren could not stand up against reared its ugly head: reliability.

As Norris was making his way through the first sector on lap 65 of 72, he reported to his team he smelled a burning scent. A foreboding sign of what was to come. Shortly after, smoke poured out of his McLaren, and as the MCL39 drew to a halt, the die was cast. Norris was out of contention.

The inconvenient factor that troubles McLaren following Norris' DNF

Speaking after the race to media the likes of GPblog, Stella referred to the sensitive matter of his driver's DNF, pointing to reliability being a strength for McLaren rather than a weakness.

"Reliability has been a strong point at McLaren for a long time. We have had today what looks like a technical reliability problem which is always disappointing."

Lando Norris faces a deficit against Piastri

Nevertheless, Stella sees the particular trouble with the DNF in the mighty hand it plays in the title fight between both McLaren drivers.

"But I would say that is even more inconvenient because it affects a situation in which we as a team we wanted to stay as neutral as possible in what is the drivers’ individual quest in the drivers championship.

"It's not ideal that we had a problem with the car but that's what it is," he added, troubled by the issue at hand.

"The whole team will process this trying to take the learning reviewing the problem fixing it and making sure that this is not a factor anymore for the future, not only for the remainder of the championship, even if obviously this is the main focus for the moment," concluded the Italian team boss.

After the Dutch Grand Prix Oscar Piastri's lead has grown to 34 points in the championship race, with Lando registering a 25-point deficit blow following his car's failure.

With F1 travelling to Monza for the 16th round of the championship the Briton will have the opportunity to bridge the gap closer as the season enters the final stretch.