McLaren is currently engaged in a fierce battle with Red Bull in the 2024 Formula 1 season. Andrea Stella, McLaren’s team principal, has identified high-speed corners as the primary aspect that the team needs to improve in order to compete with Red Bull. Since Lando Norris achieved his first victory after being inspired by developments in Miami, McLaren has emerged as the closest competitor to Red Bull. However, in subsequent races, Norris fell short due to minor details. In Montreal, the decision not to make a pit stop during a Safety Car period in mixed conditions cost Norris the lead, and in Barcelona, he believed he should have won. Norris initially secured pole position, but during the start, he lost the lead to Max Verstappen and George Russell. McLaren decided to stick to their pre-race plan of extending the stints, and although Norris closed the gap towards the end, Stella stated that the pace between McLaren and Red Bull was equal. Stella attributed Norris’ faster start to being behind Russell and the team’s newer tires at the end. Stella expressed satisfaction with the progress McLaren has made in terms of car performance on a demanding track that heavily relies on tire and aerodynamic performance.
The McLaren has undergone a remarkable transformation in the last season, achieving its best results on fast tracks, where the MCL60 was very close to the Red Bull RB20. However, Stella, representative of McLaren, acknowledged that the recent updates in Miami exceeded expectations in terms of improving the car’s performance on slower circuits. This improvement effectively eliminated the car’s previous weakness in low-speed corners. Stella clarified that McLaren did not sacrifice its proficiency in high-speed races to achieve this, but rather recognized that it is an area that still requires attention. He explained: “Although there are certain aspects of the car that may not be aligned with our current characteristics, there are others that are. For example, in the second sector, we were highly competitive throughout the weekend. This demonstrates the progress we have made in medium and low-speed corners. In previous events, which were mainly dominated by low-speed sections, we recognized the need for improvement. Now, we must focus on enhancing our performance in high-speed situations. It is important to note that, although we have changed the car’s personality, we have not worsened its high-speed capabilities. On the contrary, we have not improved to the same extent as other areas. Red Bull, in particular, stands out in high and very high-speed scenarios.
