Norris won his first Formula 1 race at the Miami International Autodrome after 110 races, thanks to a well-timed safety car.
Before this win, Norris hadn’t won any race for more than 2200 days, even though he had been on the podium 15 times.
He admitted that winning for the first time was a relief. But Stella, the team principal, said it was also a relief for the team. They finally gave Norris a fast enough car to win.
Stella said, “Not winning was a weight on his shoulders, but it was a weight on our shoulders as well. We knew if we gave Lando a car that could win, he would win. So we felt responsible.”
He also praised Norris for improving in qualifying and driving well during races, even when the car wasn’t the fastest.
Stella said, “Lando’s race management is very mature. He saved his tires in the first part of the race, then pushed hard when he needed to.”
Norris’s speed worried even Max Verstappen from Red Bull.
Stella said, “We needed to give him a car that could win. And as soon as we did, he won.”
