Norris showing more self-confidence, says Stella after Dutch GP win

ZANDVOORT: McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has noted Lando Norris displaying increased self-confidence, which he attributes to Norris' recent victories. The reigning F1 champion secured a win at the Dutch Grand Prix, his second successive triumph and career 13th, after starting from pole position. Stella believes Norris' decision to back off during the race, allowing him to conserve energy for the final laps, demonstrated his growing self-assurance.

He pointed out that despite not having the pole position advantage in Hungary and the Netherlands, Norris' confidence hasn't wavered. Stella highlighted that assertiveness and confidence are among the two key traits Norris has improved on, outside of technical and operational aspects. Norris himself acknowledged the challenge of driving the new generation of cars and the need to adapt his driving style.

Stella agreed that Norris is driving like a champion and continuously improving, a process that began early in 2025 when something clicked. This approach has led to continuous improvements, with Norris becoming stronger and stronger in each race. Meanwhile, Australian teammate Oscar Piastri has gone a year without a race win, finishing sixth in the Dutch Grand Prix, 32 seconds behind Norris.

Stella suggested that the result was not a fair representation of Piastri's competitiveness throughout the sprint weekend.