What McLaren’s Andrea Stella said about Lewis Hamilton denying Lando Norris a podium at Saudi Arabia

According to McLaren team principal Andrea Stella, Lewis Hamilton denied Lando Norris a shot at the podium during the 2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix after a thrilling multi-lap duel. With both drivers starting outside the top five and on alternate strategies, their battle became a defining moment in Jeddah, as Norris narrowly missed out on third place.

Norris had started tenth on the grid and opted for the hard tire strategy, while Hamilton began seventh on mediums. After the first stretch of the race, Norris jumped ahead in the final corner on Lap 13 to take sixth place. However, Hamilton struck back the next lap, going around the outside along the straight to retake the spot.

Norris then edged ahead again briefly a lap later before Hamilton used DRS to regain the position similarly. The McLaren # 4 driver eventually outsmarted the seven-time champion by holding off his overtake in the corners and using the main straight's DRS zone instead.

Despite this success, Norris lost valuable seconds during the tussle. This ultimately kept him out of reach of Charles Leclerc in P3, as he finished 1.092 seconds behind him. Stella reflected on the incident with the media, mentioning (via Racing News 365):

"I think for a podium finish today, we would have needed not to lose the time with Hamilton. Obviously, Hamilton is Lewis Hamilton. He knows very well how to race, and for a couple of laps, he managed to pass Lando, and I think this cost us the time that ultimately meant that we could not give it a go at trying to overtake Leclerc."

Both drivers were on recovery missions after underwhelming qualifying results. Lewis Hamilton could only manage P7 on Saturday, while Norris started from P10 after a crash in Q3. The McLaren team had extensive discussions on strategy and opted for the hard tire to maximize Norris's pace across a longer stint. The McLaren team principal elaborated:

"The short version is great recovery by Lando. We had long discussions about the starting tyres. We elected to go on the hard tyres because we were hoping that, even if for a brief window, we could exploit the pace of the car."

McLaren boss Zac Brown also displayed support on X for his team and drivers and remained hopeful for the next race in Miami.

The McLaren team believed their Friday long-run pace showed strong promise, and the race unfolded in near-perfect alignment with their simulations. Norris maintained a strong pace after overtaking Hamilton for good and brought the car home in P4. The Ferrari #44, meanwhile, faded to seventh.

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Lewis Hamilton remains frustrated with Ferrari setup after Saudi GP

Lewis Hamilton after the F1 Grand Prix of Saudi Arabia. Source: Getty

Post-race, Lewis Hamilton admitted he was at odds with his Ferrari SF-25 throughout the evening in Jeddah. Despite his spirited defense against Norris, the Briton revealed just how uncomfortable he felt behind the wheel:

"I just lacked grip, I lacked good balance. It was just fighting the car every corner and nothing I did would work. Almost every corner...every lap, every time you're going around, you're trying to adapt and improve on that specific spot." Hamilton said via F1.

When asked whether the two-week break before the Miami Grand Prix would offer time to regroup, Hamilton offered a blunt reply:

"If you wanna look at it positively yes but honestly, I don't think so – it's not going to make any difference."

With just one top-five finish to show from the first five races (P5 in Bahrain), Lewis Hamilton is still seeking his first podium with Ferrari. It has been a difficult start to his new chapter with the Prancing Horse. He will look to rebound at the upcoming Miami Grand Prix on Monday, May 5, at 4:00 PM ET from the Miami International Autodrome.