2026 Spanish GP: McLaren backs Norris VSC stop

Reports said McLaren stood by its VSC stop for Lando Norris after the 2026 Spanish Grand Prix, citing track position and limited overtaking at Madring.

McLaren has reportedly defended its call to pit Lando Norris under the Virtual Safety Car after the 2026 Spanish Grand Prix. Motorsport.com reported that Norris started from pole at the new Madring street circuit, built an early lead of 6.2 seconds and then lost track position when the VSC was called shortly after he had passed pit entry.

The same outlet reported that McLaren did not blame race control and argued overtaking was too difficult at Madring for Norris to recover once he had dropped behind. RaceFans also reported that Norris supported the decision to stop immediately under the VSC, despite the impact on his chance of winning.

Norris arrived at the event fourth in the drivers’ championship on 186 points. The McLaren driver, born on 13 November 1999, had entered 161 Grands Prix from 2019 to 2026 with 11 wins and 16 poles, while team-mate Oscar Piastri was seventh on 120 points.