McLaren sees F1 constructors’ title as priority after Brazil

McLaren says its priority is to win the Formula One constructors’ title after Lando Norris’ challenge for the drivers’ crown was all but ended in Brazil at the weekend.

“The constructors’ championship was always our priority, so this doesn’t change anything,” said team boss Andrea Stella after Norris started on pole and finished sixth while Max Verstappen won from 17th on the grid.

The Red Bull driver is 62 points clear of the Briton, his closest rival, with three rounds and 86 points to fight for.

That means Verstappen could clinch a fourth successive title in Las Vegas later in November.

McLaren increased their lead over Ferrari to 36 points, however.

Verstappen’s race was acclaimed as one of the great drives in the sport’s history, even by those who had criticised his style previously, though Norris suggested there was an element of luck involved.

“He drove well, he got a bit lucky,” Norris told Sky television.

Verstappen did not feel that way after the second phase of qualifying when he was caught out by a red flag that left him 12th with an additional five-place drop for an engine change.

The Dutch driver had been fastest in the first phase of qualifying, while Norris squeaked through in 15th position with his final effort, and admitted later he had felt like tearing up the garage.

In the race, Verstappen was helped by a red flag that gave him a free tyre change after Norris had pitted. But that came after he had overtaken six cars on the first lap and got himself into a position to take full advantage.

Norris meanwhile made a few mistakes, running off track and losing positions. The wet conditions also meant there was no advantage from drag reduction.

Stella blamed the car rather than the driver, pointing to brake problems.

“When we lock the tyres with a car like we have today, I am not looking at the driver. I am looking at why the car keeps locking the front tyres in conditions like this. I don’t think pressure was a significant factor at all,” he said.

“We have struggled with the lock-ups all weekend in wet conditions with both drivers and I think from a car point of view this is also something that we need to look into.”

Only five of the 1,121 previous championship races had been won from 17th or lower and Verstappen’s victory, his eighth of the season, ended a 10-race run without success for the Dutch driver.

He also beat Michael Schumacher’s record of 896 consecutive days leading the championship.

Reuters