McLaren boss Andrea Stella has explained how the team’s updates at Formula 1’s Miami Grand Prix facilitated the set-up avenue that helped Lando Norris to the win.
The Woking-based squad caught the headlines ahead of the weekend’s sole practice hour beginning when it unveiled a considerable upgrade package on the MCL38.
Among the 10 developments included in the FIA’s official documentation was a tweaked front wing, front suspension, sidepod inlet, engine cover and rear suspension.
But despite hinting that the new parts would constitute a “decent step”, Stella had also cautioned that McLaren’s entire potential would not be exploited last weekend.
However, McLaren showcased a blistering pace from the outset at the Miami International Autodrome, as Norris topped the times in SQ1 and SQ2 in Sprint Qualifying.
Although issues with tyre temperature saw him slip up in the pole position shootout, Norris had laid down a marker that reared its head once it mattered most later on.
Starting fifth on the grid, the Briton’s chances to utilise that searing speed to challenge for a podium, let alone a win, were dispelled when he slipped to sixth on Lap 1.
With turbulence proving a pressing problem in both races, Norris was powerless to mount an attack on Sergio Perez, who had dropped back from the leading quartet.
But Norris’ chance to stamp his command on proceedings came when the top five detoured to the pits and enabled him to unleash the pace that had been concealed.
The McLaren racer proceeded to reel off fastest laps that his newer-rubbered rivals couldn’t match, with Max Verstappen branding such a high tempo as unattainable.
While he was scheduled to still emerge outside the top three spots, Norris was bringing his name back into contention for the closing exchanges on newer Hard tyres.
That became irrelevant when a Safety Car was called on Lap 29, though, as Kevin Magnussen and Logan Sargeant collided at Turn 3 to hand Norris a golden opening.
McLaren called Norris into the pits at a reduced time loss relative to his competitors and he remained in first place – a position he would hold until the end of the race.
Verstappen had been nursing floor damage incurred when he hit a bollard at Turn 14, but Norris demonstrated that McLaren’s MCL38 was the fastest car in race spec.
So what had prompted Stella to be cautious surrounding the potential that McLaren could exhibit in Miami, despite acknowledging that it had brought improvements?
Well, McLaren has retained a slow-speed deficit across several seasons that had continued to be a recurring obstacle during the nascent moments of this campaign.
Combined with the MCL38 being vulnerable in a straight line owing to excessive drag, McLaren had reason to anticipate the second sector would be a punishing one.
But the signs in FP1 hinted that McLaren had enhanced top speed compared to usual, with Norris and team-mate Oscar Piastri sitting near the top of the speed traps.
However, both would drop towards the bottom once parc ferme had closed for a second time prior to Grand Prix qualifying, indicating McLaren had increased the load.
McLaren had still utilised the same less-loaded rear wing configuration, which was possible because it no longer had to make as much a compromise on the straights.
Stella explained as much post-race, citing how the upgrades had created a more efficient aero platform to reduce the reliance on the rear wing to generate downforce.
“Yes, we were decently competitive in a sector which has a long straight and then a low-speed section,” the Italian explained. “We had good top speed here.
“One of the reasons is that we, on purpose, decided to go for a relatively light rear wing. But we could do that also because we added downforce through the package.
“And this means that we needed to be less demanding from a rear wing point of view, which is never too efficient.
“Like when you upgrade the car with floors and sideboards, it’s always more efficient than putting downforce with a rear wing, if that makes sense.”
Stella has conceded that McLaren also made allowances with its set-up choices, however, to ensure that its speed through the slow-speed segments was competitive.
“At the same time, we sort of consciously decided to set-up the car to maximize low-speed performance,” he added.
“So, the decent performance that we had in low-speed is not necessarily because of the characteristics of the package.
“It’s also because of some conscious decisions as to how we set up the car to make sure that we were as strong as possible in low speed.
“And in fact, yesterday, if you look at qualifying, we lost quite a lot of time in the high-speed section. But this was kind of a deliberate set-up choice.”
Providing McLaren’s competitiveness translates to other coming circuits, the team’s latest sizeable upgrade package could transpire to become a game-changing one.
Stella has warned McLaren requires a further step to become a consistent contender to Red Bull, with Verstappen’s damage costing him 0.25 seconds alone in Turn 1.
McLaren will receive further validation from its latest upgrades at next weekend’s Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola, where Norris has recorded two podiums before.
However, McLaren will also stack up on an even pedestal with both Red Bull and Ferrari, as the top two teams in the championship implement their own developments.
“It’s good, it’s working as expected but I think it’s not the track which is going to show all of it,” Norris had advised prior to the weekend’s action commencing.
“Hopefully in Imola or something, we can see a bit more of the potential of the car.
“But it’s a step in the right direction, that team has done a very good job to get everything up and ready.”
He added: “I think you can never judge it on one session and one track. You have to see it on high downforce, low downforce and everything.
“People are too quick to judge everything from one weekend or one day or whatever.”
But the orange-liveried squad has continued to make tangible progress whenever it introduces new parts and taken a seismic step towards recapturing former glories.
