'We experienced the two extremes of motorsport' – Stella offers verdict on McLaren's bittersweet Dutch Grand Prix

Andrea Stella admits that the McLaren team "experienced the two extremes of motorsport" during the Dutch Grand Prix, following Oscar Piastri's victory but retirement for Lando Norris.

The 2025 pacesetters looked on course to record an eighth 1-2 of the season at the Zandvoort Circuit on Sunday, with Piastri having led every lap from pole and been closely shadowed by Norris.

But with just eight laps to go, Norris reported smelling smoke over the radio and soon stopped his McLaren out on track to record his second retirement of the season and lose crucial ground in the title fight.

"I think we experienced today the two extremes of motorsport where we were happy on one side; joy for the victory, for McLaren, for the team coming back from the break and for Oscar, a great drive this weekend," said McLaren Team Principal Stella.

"And on the opposite side we have the pain, we have the disappointment for Lando. He drove well as well, he was there in contention to win the race but then we had a problem with the car, something that we are still investigating.

"Lando, as soon as he stopped the car, he got on the radio, he said it's just bad luck, nothing that we can control.

"I haven't talked to him yet but I know that he has already said very clearly that we look forward, we look at the next race, we will try and recover the points and that's the spirit and the attitude which we expect in Lando.

"So I think we look forward to a fighting spirit from Lando's side and just joy for Oscar but it's still not even two-thirds of this championship. A long way to go."

Norris trailed Piastri by nine points in the Drivers' Championship heading into the first weekend after the summer break, but his retirement on Sunday means he now sits 34 points adrift with nine races remaining.

Stella believed there would be no issue in motivating Norris for the rest of the season despite the huge blow to his title aspirations.

"Well the fighting spirit and the racing attitude, the competitiveness, I don't think we have to do anything," added Stella of Norris.

"This is natural, and very strong in Lando, likewise in Oscar. So from this point of view, not much we can do. I think what we will do is try to keep enforcing our racing principles so that Lando and Oscar can express their talents, their ability, can have their chances to pursue their aspiration to become World Champion.

"That's what we can and what we will do and it's just a shame that today, somehow, it was a problem with the car that kind of interfered as a factor with their individual quest.

"But let's see the following races and how the championship will unfold. Certainly we will keep pushing and we will keep supporting both drivers the same."