McLaren Denies Battery Issue in Piastri’s Norris Overtake at Spa

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella dismissed speculation that a depleting battery caused Lando Norris to lose the lead to teammate Oscar Piastri at the Belgian Grand Prix. Based on an in-depth analysis by SPORTRIK of official Formula 1 interviews, Stella attributed the overtake to track dynamics rather than technical issues. Consequently, this article examines Stella’s clarification, the race dynamics, and their championship impact, with facts sourced from the official interview.

The Belgian Grand Prix, delayed by 80 minutes due to heavy rain, started with four laps behind the safety car. When green flag racing began, Norris, starting from pole, made an error at Turn 1, allowing Piastri to use his tow and overtake into Les Combes. This move, mirroring Max Verstappen’s sprint race overtake, proved decisive, as Piastri managed his tires post-slick switch to win by 3.4 seconds.

Speculation arose that Norris’ MCL39 suffered from a low battery, especially after a radio message before the safety car’s exit. However, Stella refuted this in the official interview. “There was a slight anomaly which actually happened on both sides,” he stated, indicating no specific disadvantage for Norris compared to Piastri. For this reason, Stella emphasized track position as the key factor. “It’s very difficult for the car that leads the pack to arrive first in Turn 5,” he explained, noting Norris lacked a sufficient gap at the start. Thus, the overtake stemmed from race dynamics, not battery issues.

Piastri’s victory extended his championship lead over Norris from nine to 16 points, a significant shift as Norris could have reduced the gap to two points with a win. The early overtake and subsequent tire strategy, with Norris pitting a lap later than Piastri for harder tires, compounded his challenge. For example, Norris’ error at Turn 1 and the delayed pit stop hindered his ability to challenge for the lead. Nevertheless, Stella noted ongoing data analysis to confirm the battery’s role, reinforcing that both cars faced similar conditions.

Moreover, McLaren’s strong performance at Spa highlights their competitiveness, but Norris’ recurring errors remain a concern. Therefore, refining race starts and strategy will be crucial for Norris to close the championship gap in upcoming races, starting with the Hungarian Grand Prix.

Andrea Stella dismissed battery-related speculation in Oscar Piastri’s overtake of Lando Norris at the Belgian Grand Prix, attributing it to track dynamics. Thus, McLaren aims to optimize Norris’ performance to challenge Piastri’s championship lead. For this reason, focus on race execution will be key at the Hungarian Grand Prix. For in-depth analysis of Formula 1 dynamics, visit SPORTRIK.