Source: Official Team Post via X
McLaren's Andrea Stella Acknowledges MCL40's Core Challenges
McLaren's team boss, Andrea Stella, concedes that the MCL40's fundamental issues extend beyond this year's upgrades. Despite some race wins, drivers Norris and Piastri grapple with adapting to the car's demanding nature.
Andrea Stella, McLaren's team principal, has frankly admitted that the MCL40's fundamental problems can't be remedied by this year’s upgrades alone. The car has proven complex, with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri having to adopt new driving styles to get the best from it.
After clinching the last two constructors' titles, McLaren has slipped to third this season, with Red Bull closing in fast. Although Norris triumphed in Hungary and the Netherlands, and performed well in Madrid, the car remains demanding and difficult to push to its limits.
Stella explained, "The car requires significant effort to deliver lap time and demands a higher intensity in driving input than last year." This has been a challenge for the drivers, especially for Piastri, who at times seemed less competitive than Norris. Stella attributes this to technical factors, noting that the car's peculiarities demand much from the drivers.
McLaren plans to introduce a series of upgrades at the United States Grand Prix, but Stella warns these won't address the car's core design issues. "I don’t expect the upcoming changes to improve this characteristic," he said. "We need more fundamental changes, which we're addressing for the longer term, with the MCL41 targeted for 2027."
Despite Norris’ earlier successes, Stella noted struggles in Azerbaijan and Malaysia, where an upgrade initially seemed to hinder performance. It turned out not to be the case, but it showed the challenges in optimizing the MCL40.
Stella elaborated, "We clarified that the concerns were unfounded, which was crucial. The challenges were due to track conditions and power unit optimization in Baku, with additional chassis factors affecting performance on long straights."
While Norris' wins may have masked the car's issues, Stella pointed out that once in front, race conditions can exaggerate strengths. A points finish in Singapore, behind Red Bull, Mercedes, and Ferrari, matched expectations and highlighted how upgrade timings influence the competitive order.
Stella also noted, "Red Bull and Verstappen are leveraging their upgrades effectively. Even if they seemed dominant in Singapore, the difference was just three-tenths of a second, a margin possible to close with upgrades."
As McLaren prepares for the upcoming races, the aim is to address these core issues over the longer term, even as they continue to compete with the current MCL40.