A Sunday of firsts
He had to wait for 110 race to experience the thrill of victory, but Lando Norris has finally shaken off the jinx of having finished on the podium 15 times, but never on the top step. Miami therefore marks the start of a new chapter for the 24 year old Bristolian, as he has added his name to the list of Formula 1 Grand Prix winners.
Yesterday also ended a streak of 58 races without a win for McLaren, their last coming when Lando completed a fine one-two finish behind his then team-mate Daniel Ricciardo in 2021 at Monza. Miami was also a first win for Andrea Stella as Team Principal of the Woking squad, second on the list of all-time winners in motor racing's blue riband category.
The Italian engineer had left Ferrari and moved to England in 2014 as the Luca di Montezemolo era was coming to an end and yesterday was definitely a significant moment in his career, but it's unlikely to change his approach to the job he has been in since January last year. Known for his calm and methodical ways, Andrea reached the top job at McLaren having spent his entire working life in Formula 1, first in Maranello and then in Woking where he has been able to show his abilities as a manager and not just as an engineer. Success has come as McLaren Racing demonstrates its ability to gradually move up the order, patiently but with its own clear ideas, and without putting its workforce under unnecessary pressure, acting with transparency both towards the outside world and within the company. This is evident from the way the management made it clear at the beginning of last season that the 2023 car would definitely not be competitive until the start of the summer or the way David Sanchez joined and left its technical time in record time. It's in sharp contrast to what happens elsewhere in Formula 1 or indeed elsewhere.
Maybe it's no coincidence that Stella is the fourth Team Principal to go up to the podium to collect the winning team's trophy who was part of the Ferrari team in that amazing era at the start of this century. Before him came Stefano Domenicali, Ross Brawn and Mattia Binotto, the two Italians in the Maranello team's colours and the Englishman first with the team bearing his own name in that incredible 2009 season and then when it evolved into Mercedes. All of them were lucky enough to work, to evolve and to absorb the example of two extraordinary leaders in the shape of Jean Todt and Michael Schumacher. Andrea is the latest to join this list, but undoubtedly when he has time to look back on the events of 5 May, he will think back to his experience at Ferrari which made an indelible mark on him.
PS: A lovely gesture from McLaren paying tribute to Gil de Ferran in its winners' photo in Miami. The driver and manager's last role in the sport was with the Woking squad before his sudden and unexpected passing at the very end of last year.
