Stella defended McLaren's decision to pit twice with both drivers

Having lost out to Ferrari at the closely-matched Italian Grand Prix, McLaren team boss Andrea Stella has defended his outfit for opting for a two-stop strategy.

Despite securing a double podium finish at the thrilling Italian Grand Prix, McLaren driver Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris have been left disappointed after losing out to Ferrari at Monza.

Having secured pole position on Saturday, Lando Norris was unable to convert it into a victory.

The Briton lost two places to Oscar Piastri and Charles Leclerc on the opening lap, and after suffering from graining, he had to pit for a second time for new tyres, finishing third at Monza.

His team-mate Piastri looked in control of the Italian Grand Prix, but with Ferrari having been able to pit only once, the Melbourne-born driver dropped back to finish second at Monza.

"A very close race with Ferrari. Leclerc was very quick today, and he was able to win the race by executing a one-stop, while we felt that we needed to go on two stops to make sure we had enough tyres to make it to the end of the race.

Stella continued: "It meant that we couldn’t capitalise on our very strong position on the grid. Apart from this, it’s been a very positive weekend in Monza, it confirmed that the car is strong and performs well on all kinds of circuits after the upgrades in Zandvoort, and we gained many points in the Constructors’ Championship and some points in the quest for Lando in the Drivers’ Championship.

"So, with this championship situation and the performance of the car, we look forward to an exciting final part of the season," concluded Stella.