Andrea Stella points to Lando Norris over P7 result in Baku. Photo Race Pictures

Lando Norris held accountable for Baku result by McLaren boss

19:47, 21 Sep

Updated: 20:43, 21 Sep

byNorberto Mujica

Andrea Stella believes that during the race there was little Lando Norris could do, and points to yesterday's qualifying session as the sore sport in McLaren's Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend.

Lando Norris is held accountable by Stella

"I think Lando today had a strong race," said Stella about his driver's Sunday afternoon performance. "He raced to the limit of the potential that was available in the car. I think no other driver in Lando's car could have scored more.

"If anything the responsibility to try and extract more performance today or more points may lay more on the team's side.

"Because with a fast or the fastest pit stop we could have given Lando the opportunity perhaps to attack Liam Lawson.

"But from a driving point of view, we are completely happy that Lando is delivered to the limit of what was available today in the car."

But McLaren's overall package, is the reason behind Norris' inability to gain places during the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

"I think on Lando's side we were hoping to have a car that was in condition to overtake in fairness.

"But the reality today is that the car wasn't fast enough to stay close to the car ahead out of last corner to then be able to overtake down the straight.

"This means that Lando spent the entire race in traffic despite feeling that the car had more to offer.

"Overall I think I've said that yesterday that this kind of circuits don't seem to suit our car very well in terms of its strengths.

A portion of the responsability, though, Stella does put on Norris. "But at the same time definitely there was more available in the car than yesterday in qualifying and today in the race we did not exploit."

Red Bull refrains from making title claims

Despite Stella arguing Verstappen was back in full contention for the championship, and Norris's plea to not be so surprised that Red Bull are quick, the Austrian team's top advisor Helmut Marko chose to wait until after Singapore to comment on any potential chances Verstappen may have to win the title.

Verstappen did not support statements that saw him as a potential candidate for the world title, but he did not deny them either. Red Bull boss Laurent Mekies also chose a more coy approach, stating his team and driver only focused on maximising each race weekend.