McLaren Formula 1 boss Andrea Stella has recalled how the early laps during practice for the Austrian Grand Prix convinced him the team was back on the right track in 2023.
The Woking-based squad had entered the campaign braced for a tough start after admitting it had missed development targets over the winter with its new MCL60 car.
McLaren failed to score a single point across the first two rounds, resulting in an overhaul behind the scenes which saw the team’s then Technical Director James Key depart.
However, McLaren’s fortunes would be transformed by the introduction of a sizeable upgrade package at the ninth round that elevated it into front-running contention.
With Lando Norris equipped with the updated package compared to team-mate Oscar Piastri still running the previous-spec parts, Stella remembers how the respective data from both cars instantly made him aware that McLaren’s latest developments had delivered a momentous leap forward.
When asked to highlight McLaren’s standout moment from the 2023 season on KTM’s Summer Grill recently, Stella answered: “Difficult to mention one in particular.
“I just go by instinct and feeling in trying to answer your question, and as I do so, what comes to my mind, almost in a visual way, is the early laps in Austria.
“We had, in Free Practice 1, Lando was in the new car and Oscar was in the previous car, and I could see in telemetry that Lando, thanks to the new car, he was able to carry quite a lot more speed in the corners.
“I remember thinking to myself, ‘This looks good’.
“So that was a good memory, good feelings which, thankfully, was confirmed by lap time and it was confirmed then by results.”
Norris recorded a fourth-place finish at the Red Bull Ring before McLaren then secured second and third on the grid at Silverstone with both cars now fitted with the new parts.
The Briton would go on to lead the opening four laps of the race en route to bagging second place, but Piastri was denied a maiden F1 podium by an ill-timed Safety Car.
“We had a McLaren in the lead,” Stella reflected. “We had two cars that should have finished on the podium, because Oscar’s podium was missed just because of the timing of a Safety Car.
“That was kind of confirmation we are strong, we are on a good path. There was still good development ongoing that they would have seen the light later in the season.
“So that’s two highlights, if you want, of this turnaround.”
However, Piastri would eventually register successive podiums in Japan and Qatar, scoring a breakthrough victory during the Saturday Sprint race at the Losail Circuit.
Meanwhile, Norris accrued a career-best tally of seven top-three race finishes to spearhead McLaren’s late-season charge to a fourth-place finish in the Constructors’ standings.
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