Lando Norris has expressed doubts regarding McLaren`s strategy after Max Verstappen outperformed him at the Japanese Grand Prix.
Throughout all 53 laps at Suzuka Circuit, Norris remained behind Verstappen, pitting in the same lap as the Red Bull driver. He came close to overtaking upon exiting the pit lane, but that was his closest attempt at taking the lead.
Despite chasing Verstappen, Norris could not get within DRS range as Verstappen expertly managed his pace to secure victory in the Formula 1 season.
Norris commented, `I could consistently see Max throughout the race, but couldn`t close the gap. Clean air allowed him to maintain his position, and he raced flawlessly. It was a well-driven race.`
He added, `In hindsight, the race outcome was largely set by yesterday`s qualifying. Starting from a better grid position significantly increases your chances of winning.`
`Our race pace was likely slightly superior, but not enough to overcome the turbulent air and get into DRS range. Overtaking here is notoriously difficult.`
`We experimented with a few approaches. Perhaps we could have been more aggressive with strategy, like an overcut or undercut, instead of mirroring their pit stop timing. These are points for discussion, but securing solid team points and a personal second place is still positive, though naturally, I always aim for more.`
Davidson on McLaren`s strategy with Norris
Anthony Davidson, formerly of Sky Sports F1, observed: `Kimi Antonelli extended his stint and switched to hard tires, achieving consistently faster lap times than the cars ahead. Mercedes demonstrated the effectiveness of a longer stint and utilizing clear air.`
`I`m puzzled why McLaren didn`t adopt a similar strategy for at least one of their cars. They should have capitalized on their car`s potential at this circuit.`
`It`s evident that McLaren had the faster car today, a trend throughout the week, especially in long runs. At least one car should have been in clean air, instead of both being stuck in dirty air all race.`
Stella Explains Piastri`s Early Pit Stop
Last season at the Hungarian Grand Prix, McLaren faced strategic questions when they pitted Norris before Piastri, despite Piastri leading.
Unlike Hungary, Piastri didn`t undercut Norris this race, but his earlier pit stop put pressure on Red Bull, potentially forcing them to react and pit Verstappen.
When asked about not attempting an undercut with Norris, McLaren team principal Andrea Stella explained, `We could have, but pitting Lando would have prevented us from pitting Oscar, creating complications for Oscar.`
`Oscar would have been delayed, which would have been problematic, especially with cars like Russell who had pitted, requiring us to respond.`
Stella added that extending Norris`s stint beyond Verstappen to gain a tire advantage later was considered unviable.
`Data indicated that extending the stint wouldn`t have been quicker than pitting,` Stella told .
`George Russell of Mercedes showed the pace of hard tires after a later pit stop.`
`It typically requires about eight-tenths of a second advantage to challenge the car in front. Approaching within one second results in dirty air and performance loss. Overtaking today seemed impossible.`
Norris: Verstappen Not Expected to Yield Space
Norris almost overtook Verstappen in the pit lane due to a slower Red Bull pit stop, nearly resulting in a side-by-side situation at pit exit.
Verstappen maintained his lead, and Norris briefly went onto the grass, radioing that he was `forced off`.
Reflecting on the incident at the press conference, Norris said, `The team executed a fantastic pit stop under pressure.`
`It was our best opportunity to close the gap. I wasn`t trying to race Max aggressively, just aiming to use the available space! I wasn`t even aware of his exact position! He held the advantage and was entitled to defend, so fair play to him.`
Verstappen jokingly added, `The grass on the right was a bit unevenly cut. Perhaps Lando noticed and wanted to ensure it was properly trimmed.`
McLaren`s past strategy errors notably cost them potential race wins in Montreal, Silverstone, and Sao Paulo.
Despite Norris leading Verstappen in those Grands Prix, Verstappen ultimately finished ahead and won two, significantly shifting the championship points.
While Stella didn`t explicitly admit strategic errors at this race, McLaren missed an opportunity to potentially secure their third consecutive win of 2025 with a car that is considered to be currently the fastest.
`The race outcome was largely determined in qualifying. The race itself was relatively uneventful, mirroring the qualifying results,` Stella stated.
`We scored valuable points, which is encouraging for our car`s performance, but the competition remains close.`
Formula 1 continues in Sakhir for the Bahrain Grand Prix next weekend.
Marcus Prine