McLaren boss Stella: Mission is for Norris championship win

McLaren F1’s team principal Andrea Stella has insisted Lando Norris can still win the Drivers’ Championship after the Brit dominated in Singapore.

The 24-year-old beat title rival Max Verstappen by 21 seconds in the city-state to close the gap in the standings to 52 points with a possible 204 remaining across the final six races and three sprint races of the season.

And Stella, whose Papaya outfit sits clear at the top of the team title standings, said a Norris title is still possible.

“Hopefully we will have a few more in the next six races,” the McLaren team principal said of Lando’s dominant performance. “It was fully deserved by Lando, he has been very quick throughout the weekend. Everything came together, it’s not going to be easy over the next races but it’s very promising.

“It’s also promising that Oscar [Piastri, teammate] found a way to beat the two Mercedes’ to get on the podium.

“The mission is still on for the drivers’ championship.”

George Russell and Charles Leclerc completed the top five while Lewis Hamilton, Carlos Sainz, Fernando Alonso, Nico Hulkenberg and Sergio Perez made up the points scoring places.

The F1 paddock takes a break between now and the next race, when Austin, Texas will play host to the motorsporting circus at the end of October.

When team RB, Red Bull’s sister outfit, get there, however, they could be without Daniel Ricciardo with the Australian likely to be replaced by Liam Lawson for the remainder of the season.

Norris and McLaren chasing