Andrea Stella was surprised as McLaren F1 surpassed its own predictions and shone in Shanghai.
Andrea Stella, the director of McLaren F1, was the first to be surprised to see his team excel in Shanghai, as Lando Norris finished second. The Italian praised the smooth operation of the Woking-based cars in all conditions over the weekend and lamented the damage sustained by Oscar Piastri in the second half of the race.
“We had said it would be a tough weekend for us, so we need to revise our expectations!” Stella declared. “But seriously, a solid weekend in all conditions. Pole for the Sprint was in the rain, and then good qualifying in the dry.”
“We expected a tougher race because degradation was high in the Sprint, and we thought Ferrari would overtake us. But the car was well-tuned, and Lando was absolutely brilliant. I also want to acknowledge Oscar, who despite the damage, scored important points for the team.”
“It’s another step closer, I don’t know how many times Lando has finished second, but it’s time he finishes first because he deserves it. He’s an incredible driver, it’s up to us to give him and Oscar a car that will allow them to do the job.”
Stella drew a very positive conclusion from the weekend: “Pole position for the Sprint. The Sprint might have been a second place if not for the problem at the first turn. Good qualifying followed by another solid race.”
“It’s clear that we need to refine our understanding of the capabilities of our MCL38, but F1 often surprises because it is sensitive to many parameters. A good result, a nice surprise, I’m really happy for the men and women of McLaren. A great effort.”
McLaren F1 Exceeds Expectations in Shanghai Race. McLaren F1 Exceeds Expectations in Shanghai Race
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