McLaren will start the Sprint race at the Austrian GP from second and third place on the grid after a strong qualifying session. Andrea Stella, the McLaren team director, praised Max Verstappen for his excellent performance during the qualifying session, where he secured pole position for the Sprint race. Despite facing challenges from McLaren and Ferrari, Red Bull Racing has consistently performed well this season and has managed to surpass its competitors on several occasions.
Andrea Stella expressed admiration for Verstappen and Red Bull, acknowledging their ability to seize opportunities even when they are not the dominant force. He also highlighted the challenging nature of the qualifying session, which included yellow flags and traffic. Stella emphasized McLaren’s respect for Verstappen and Red Bull.
Stella stated that McLaren gave their best during the sprint qualifying session and will seek to maintain their performance in the upcoming races. Meanwhile, Red Bull and Verstappen, as current championship leaders, will aim to replicate their successful performances from last year in Spielberg.
Oscar Piastri, who finished second in the sprint race at the Chinese Grand Prix, believed he could have done better during the final lap of the qualifying session in Austria. Despite this, Piastri acknowledged the positive impact of the new front wing upgrade on the MCL38 and expressed satisfaction with his performance.
McLaren currently holds the third position in the championship standings, behind Red Bull and Ferrari. However, they have shown their strength in recent races. With a strong starting position on the front row, McLaren aims to achieve the best possible results in the Sprint race at the Austrian Grand Prix.
