The McLaren Formula 1 team boss, Andrea Stella, acknowledged that the significant improvements of the team at the Miami Grand Prix will not completely solve their weakness in low-speed situations. Currently positioned third in the Constructors’ Championship, McLaren has secured two podiums with driver Lando Norris. However, Stella emphasized that future developments on the MCL38 car are needed to close the gap to Ferrari and Red Bull. This weekend, the Woking-based team introduced 10 new components, such as a modified front wing, front suspension, sidepod inlet, engine cover, and rear suspension. Despite these upgrades being described as a “substantial improvement” in the previous race in China, Stella admitted that McLaren will still face a slight disadvantage in low-speed situations. When asked about the team’s progress in low-speed corners, Stella replied that specific upgrades are needed for such situations.
Stella believes that finding the right balance between low-speed and high-speed performance has become more challenging with current ground-effect cars. According to him, achieving this balance is difficult for several reasons, with car height being one of the main factors. Although previous generation cars also relied on ground effect, current cars depend even more on it. Therefore, the distance to the ground and how the team manages the airflow around and under the car floor are crucial factors.
Stella also mentioned that the expected improvement in lap time with McLaren’s initial updates for 2024 will be slightly lower compared to the improvements made last season. Additionally, he confirmed that Norris will have all the updates on his car, while Piastri’s MCL38 will receive only half of the updates. The team tested a combination of updates and found that there was sufficient communication between the different parts of the car to allow for a 50% upgrade. This means they could install the front wing on a car without needing to modify the floor and sidepods simultaneously.
However, Stella acknowledged that introducing updated components during a Sprint weekend carries risks. McLaren will have only one hour of practice to adjust to the new parts. Despite this time constraint, Stella assured that they have enough parts for the weekend. He emphasized the need to manage the risks associated with these operations in a comprehensive, proactive, and forward-thinking manner. While they are prepared for surprises, they hope that any issues encountered during the Sprint event will not be too significant and that they can run smoothly throughout the event.
