McLaren’s Andrea Stella stresses the need for improvements on low-drag circuits, aiming for a more competitive and balanced Formula 1 car.
McLaren Team Principal, Andrea Stella, acknowledged the necessity for the team to enhance its vehicle to boost competitiveness on low-drag circuits to achieve a more “complete” car in Formula 1.
The Woking-based outfit has emerged as a genuine contender for the constructors’ championship title, with the MCL38 proving to be the most consistent car on the grid.
McLaren capitalised on a remarkable mid-season turnaround last year, continuing the momentum to secure two wins and 10 consecutive podiums, now trailing leaders Red Bull by 42 points.
However, as in the previous campaign, McLaren’s strongest weekends often occurred when the car was optimised for circuits that emphasise high-speed turns.
McLaren significantly outperformed its rivals at the Hungaroring by achieving a one-two finish but appeared to lag behind Red Bull at Spa-Francorchamps.
Stella conceded that McLaren must focus on developing a more robust low downforce package to avoid compromises on tracks demanding high top speeds.
When asked to assess McLaren’s progress on low downforce tracks compared to last season, Stella said, “I think we have covered 50% of the journey.”
“I am more confident that with high downforce, we have the car in a good position, with the vehicle behaving as we desire in terms of aerodynamic performance,” he added.
“However, we haven’t yet made significant advancements at a lower drag level.”
“So, for me, it’s not surprising that in Belgium, we were not as competitive as in Hungary, and it’s no surprise that our top speed was the same or slightly better than in 2023.”
“We still lost quite a bit in the second sector. This means that if we want to gain speed, we are going to lose a lot of grip.”
“But I hope that in the future, perhaps next year in Belgium, we will have completed this quest to have the most efficient car even when top speed is crucial.”
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Stella Targets Circuit Performance Boost for McLaren Stella Targets Circuit Performance Boost for McLaren
