Andrea Stella Demands ‘Autonomous Teams’ After Daniel Ricciardo’s Fastest Lap Affects Lando Norris’ Title Chances

Andrea Stella Demands ‘Autonomous Teams’ After Daniel Ricciardo's Fastest Lap Affects Lando Norris’ Title Chances

McLaren team principal, Andrea Stella has urged the sport to look into the Singapore GP and demanded autonomy when it comes to the constructors competing. This comes after Daniel Ricciardo’s late-race call to pit for the fastest lap led to Lando Norris losing the mathematical edge over Max Verstappen in the drivers’ championship.

Norris, who held the fastest lap until Ricciardo’s lap, lost the extra point meaning even if he wins every Grand Prix and sprint race till the end of the season (with the fastest lap bonus), Verstappen will still win the 2024 title if he consistently finishes second.

RB — Red Bull’s sister team — made the inexplicable decision to go for the fastest lap even if it meant that the #3 driver finished effectively last. In hindsight, Stella is convinced this was to aid the Bulls’ charge for the championship.

Per Formule1.nl, Stella said, “(RB) did get the fastest lap and possibly as part of a longer-term conversation, we need to get the sport into a position where teams are completely autonomous at all times, whether it’s on the track or in the factory.” 

With six races remaining this year, Norris’ title charge might get even more complicated from the United States GP onwards. The Milton-Keynes-based team is prepped to bring an upgrade package to the race in Austin. These changes are tipped to resolve issues with the RB20, getting Verstappen back in contention for regular podiums and race wins.

Verstappen could end Norris’ title dreams at US GP

The Circuit of the Americas (COTA) has been a happy hunting ground for the three-time world champion. Verstappen has won the Grand Prix on each of the three previous occasions. A more compliant RB20 could bring the Dutchman into contention for the win.

If Verstappen does win, he will end Norris’ title charge informally. The Red Bull driver already has a healthy cushion of 52 points going into the Austin race weekend in three weeks’ time.

That being said, McLaren still has the fastest package on the grid, with Oscar Piastri now playing a key role in challenging Red Bull and Verstappen. On the other hand, Verstappen doesn’t have the luxury of Sergio Perez backing him up given the #11 driver’s struggles this year.

Hence, the 2024 championship may go down to the wire after all.

Post Edited By: Aishwary Gaonkar
Andrea Stella Daniel Ricciardo Lando Norris Max Verstappen McLaren Red Bull Singapore GP VCARB

About the author

Anirban Aly Mandal

Anirban Aly Mandal is an F1 writer at The SportsRush, with over 1000 articles under his belt, Anirban's love for F1 started when he discovered a copy of F1 2014 on his computer. With over half a decade's worth of time spent religiously following the sport, he’s dived deep into the world of motorsports. However, Anirban's expertise goes beyond just writing - he has also written several academic papers focused on the domain of motorsports and the law. His passion for the sport is so immense that he aspires to work as a legal advisor in the most prestigious racing series in the world someday. When it comes to Formula 1, Anirban finds great pleasure in re-watching classic races and idolizes the likes of Ayrton Senna, Nigel Mansell, and Sebastian Vettel. His top picks include Brazil '91, Silverstone '92, and Germany '19. Outside of the sport, Anirban is an avid sim racer, often found racing on titles like Assetto Corsa, F1 22, and Automobilista. Apart from his interests in gaming, Anirban has a keen interest in philosophy, literature and music.

Don’t miss these