Stella Reflects on McLaren's Performance at US GP: 'As Competitive as Ferrari and Red Bull'

Andrea Stella, McLaren's team principal, has expressed his perspective following the team's near miss at the podium in the United States Grand Prix. Despite Lando Norris finishing in fifth place, Stella remains optimistic about the team's competitiveness against top teams like Ferrari and Red Bull.

Qualifying was a bit of a struggle for McLaren, with Norris and his teammate Oscar Piastri starting in eighth and seventh positions, respectively. However, during the race, Norris showcased the MCL40's latent potential, briefly holding second place before eventually being overtaken by Max Verstappen and the Ferraris of Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton.

Reflecting on the race, Stella remarked, "I think in the race we saw that what we said could have been the potential of the car was actually realised." He acknowledged that while the car showed promise, fully exploiting its capabilities remains challenging this season.

Norris, who managed to climb up to second with a one-stop strategy, ultimately couldn't fend off the two-stopping Leclerc, Verstappen, and Hamilton. "It gets a little bit easier in the race because you don't push as much as you do in Qualifying," Norris mentioned, noting that the car felt as competitive as the Ferraris and Red Bull on race day, even if Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli seemed a notch above the rest.

Stella explained that their strategy hinged on the potential for a Safety Car, which never materialized, leaving Norris vulnerable to the faster two-stop competitors. Meanwhile, Piastri finished seventh, managing to keep Mercedes' George Russell at bay.

The team is looking to the future with optimism. Stella confirmed that McLaren is planning upgrades for upcoming races in Brazil and Las Vegas, though Mexico might see fewer enhancements. "Hopefully, this will help us to be consistently in the fight for podiums," Stella said, as McLaren aims to re-establish itself as a serious contender.

Norris, who had double wins over the summer but has since found podiums elusive, is hopeful that these upgrades will reinvigorate his campaign. The McLaren team remains committed to closing the gap to the front-runners and returning to the podium in the remaining races.