McLaren has suggested that brake lock-up problems, rather than driving errors under pressure, were the main factor that derailed Lando Norris’s hopes in Formula 1’s Brazilian Grand Prix.
Norris had a golden opportunity to cut into Max Verstappen’s championship lead at Interlagos after securing pole position in the race, with his title rival down in 17th on the grid.
But it all went wrong when an aborted start issue, a poor getaway, misfortune with a red flag and then some off-track moments resulted in him finishing sixth as Verstappen went on to win.
The outcome has left Verstappen appearing all set to clinch his fourth crown, potentially as early as the Las Vegas Grand Prix, and Norris disappointed that things did not turn out better.
While Norris’ difficulties came at a time when pressure was ramping up in the championship, McLaren team principal Andrea Stella says that there were technical elements at play that had a big influence on the race.
And in particular, he says McLaren has been battling a problem with brake locks-up in certain conditions – something that was highlighted over the Brazilian GP weekend with Norris being exposed in the race and Oscar Piastri hitting trouble in qualifying.
Stella said: “When we lock the tyres with the 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 added: “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.”
Stella did not want to offer too many details about the specifics of the brake problems, but did say there was work to be done by the team to get on top of it.
“That will definitely be something that we are looking into,” he said. “It seems to appear in some conditions. I can’t really comment – I will give away some IP – but it’s a little unpredictable and for drivers, it’s also difficult to make adaptations from one lap to the other.
“It comes just down to unpredictably. I would say this is a technical opportunity for the team rather than something that the drivers need to look into themselves.”
Strategy choices
Beyond the brake problems hampering Norris, his hopes of winning the race were also not helped by him crucially dropping behind Verstappen prior to the mid-race red flag.
While both Norris and then race leader George Russell pitted under VSC conditions to get fresh inters on, the trio of Esteban Ocon, Verstappen and Pierre Gasly all stayed out.
And although that potentially left the three of them exposed if there was a normal restart in wetter conditions, it paid off handsomely when a red flag was brought out for Franco Colapinto’s high-speed crash.
That meant the Red Bull driver and the two Alpines could fit fresh rubber, so it handed a track position advantage to Verstappen.
Asked about the strategy choice McLaren made, Stella said: “Both drivers in fairness acknowledged that we needed new rubber to stay out in those conditions, but the reason why this decision didn’t pay off is actually the rain became very intense, leading together with the crash that caused the red flag.
“We thought at the time, with the virtual safety car and with the increased amount of water on track, it was important to go on to the new tyre.
“I think without the red flag, and with a little less intensity which is always difficult to predict, it would’ve been quite difficult for the people who had not changed the tyres.
“Sometimes you look brilliant because you commit to something, and it is always easier to commit when you are behind, and you look like a hero.”
