Andrea Stella reveals “Lando Norris had car damage in the final laps” of Australian GP. Team principal Andrea Stella explained Lando Norris's struggles in Melbourne.

McLaren, a thrilling victory
With much more difficulty than expected, Lando Norris fulfilled the predictions by winning the Australian GP and leading the F1 Drivers’ Championship for the first time in his career.

The Briton managed every challenge and opponent, from Max Verstappen to Oscar Piastri, as well as the rain that repeatedly made the Albert Park circuit extremely slippery. A mistake two-thirds into the race on slick tires and a damp track nearly brought back past ghosts, especially since—as team principal Andrea Stella admitted—McLaren sustained damage in the off at Stewart, losing aerodynamic downforce. However, unlike his teammate Oscar Piastri (who went off at the same spot), Norris limited the damage and secured a crucial victory.

Andrea Stella’s words
“In the final laps, after that off-track moment, Lando had a damaged car, so he struggled a bit to find speed. I think this explains Max’s intense pressure at the end,” said Andrea Stella.

“Overall, it was a race with many different scenarios and challenges. We actually had it under control quite well until the rain arrived suddenly. Unfortunately, this meant Oscar lost contact with the race lead.” – the former Ferrari race engineer concluded at the end of the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne.