Andrea Stella credited Lewis Hamilton for playing a pivotal role in preventing Lando Norris from securing a podium finish at the Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
Starting from 10th position at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, Norris found himself on a challenging mission after crashing out during the Q3 qualifying session. Despite his setback, the McLaren driver quickly began his charge through the pack. By Lap 12, he was battling Hamilton, who was running in a solid position for Ferrari.
Norris attempted to overtake Hamilton twice at the final corner, utilizing DRS on the back straight to make his move. However, on both occasions, Hamilton strategically allowed Norris to pass, only to regain the position immediately at the start/finish straight by using DRS to sail back past the McLaren driver into Turn 1.
On his third attempt, Norris learned from the previous attempts and executed a successful overtake into Turn 1. However, the battle had already cost him valuable seconds, as well as a few laps in the process. Ultimately, Norris finished just 1.092 seconds behind Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, missing out on a podium spot.
When asked by Sky Sports F1 if Norris’ prolonged battle with Hamilton was a significant factor in his failure to claim a podium, Stella responded, “I think you’re right. In such tight racing, it often comes down to just one or two seconds, and losing time to Lewis was definitely a challenge for Lando.”
He went on to praise Hamilton’s racing tactics, saying, “Lewis knows exactly how to race in these situations. Lando needed a couple of attempts to realize he had to pass Lewis in Turn 1.”
Stella acknowledged the impact of the time lost in the battle, adding, “That certainly affected Lando’s chances of making the podium. But there are always ‘what ifs’ in racing. The biggest one here is what we could have done had we qualified better. But that’s in our control. We just need to keep our heads down and keep improving.”
Norris Reflects on Missed Podium
Norris himself acknowledged that his fourth-place finish was the best result he could have achieved given the circumstances. While he expressed regret over missing out on the podium, he understood that his struggles in qualifying had made the race more difficult than it needed to be.
“I think fourth is the best we could have done today,” Norris said. “It’s always tough to judge how close you were to a podium. Charles had a solid race, and his strategy with a good first stint and a timely pit stop gave him an advantage.”
Despite the disappointment, Norris remained positive, adding, “I’m pleased with the overall performance, but I made life harder for myself. It would have been a lot easier to just drive at the front. But races like this teach you to focus on improving, and that starts with having a better Saturday.”
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