McLaren boss Andrea Stella has revealed that the team’s upgrade package for the Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix will lay the “foundation” for its 2027 challenger.
The Woking-based team had come into F1’s latest era off the back of back-to-back Constructors’ titles.
That said, the MCL40, this season, has proven to be an underwhelming concept, with McLaren fighting with Red Bull for only third in the standings with three races to go.
Stella has admitted that the team were hopeful of turning its fortunes around after Lando Norris’ maiden win of the season at Hungary, but conceded that McLaren has lost out in the developmental race to its immediate rivals.
“After the upgrades in Hungary, it was encouraging that we were in position to win,” he told media including Motorsport Week.
“We should have won in Madrid, really. But after that, other teams took upgrades, and we lost this position.
“I think we also paid the price for not having had great qualifying sessions. It would have been interesting to see Lando starting from the front in races like Austin or Mexico.
“I think it would have been definitely a fight for the podium, but it’s thanks to these upgrades [in Brazil] that we are now in a condition to fight for the victory, combined with the conditions, surely.”
McLaren reveal 2027 “trajectory” with F1 Las Vegas upgrades
Norris was back on the top step of the podium at Sao Paulo, last weekend, after taking a dominant win for McLaren.
The Briton was powered by a swathe of upgrades on the MCL40 including a new front wing concept that would carry over to next year’s car, and new rear and beam wings and floor revisions.
Stella has revealed that the team are bringing another set of upgrades to Vegas which are to form the “foundation for what will be next year’s car.”
“These upgrades, first of all, will be complemented by some more parts that will come in Las Vegas, and they form the foundation for what will be next year’s car,” Stella added.
“So it’s encouraging for the trajectory of McLaren that we seem to be able to transform our development into performance on track, and it’s also important for McLaren that we had solid pit stops because we don’t come from a period of consistent pit stops, and also execution in these mixed conditions.
“Because we have had some disappointing races, like in Canada, where we were starting with the intermediate tyres and the double, extra formation lap, it was unlucky, honestly.
“So it’s good that we were able to master these conditions at the pit wall as well. And I’m very proud to have seen the team operate at this very high level.”
Norris and McLaren would be hoping for a better race at Vegas this season after suffering a near-catastrophic double DSQ in 2025.
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