McLaren made headlines at the Hungarian Grand Prix this weekend for all the wrong reasons. Despite having the right strategic intentions to protect their drivers, Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, their execution left much to be desired, resulting in controversy and regret.
The race saw McLaren attempt to safeguard both drivers from looming threats posed by Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen. The team had decided to pit their cars at specific moments to uphold their strategy. However, this move inadvertently placed Norris and Piastri in unfair positions, leading to frustration and disappointment among both drivers.
Team Principal Andrea Stella openly admitted that McLaren could have better prepared for the situation. He used the analogy, “you never find yourself preparing the flight plan as you fly,” emphasizing that more comprehensive pre-race planning could have averted the drama. This unplanned scenario was identified as a key learning point for the team moving forward.
Norris acknowledged that clearer communication during the race could have helped. He mentioned, “Uncertainty from both sides is what kind of created a much bigger thing than what it was,” and stressed the importance of improving this aspect of their teamwork.
Despite this setback, Stella praised the constructive dialogue between the drivers and engineers. He noted that Norris took some time to understand his new role of fighting for a championship, suggesting this was a key factor in the confusion during the race.
Moreover, Stella commended Norris for honoring Piastri’s victory, both through team communication and media interactions. He described it as a testament to McLaren’s commitment to learning and growing from these experiences, likening it to a “tree falling” that provides valuable insights for the team’s overall growth.
While the Hungarian GP may not have gone according to plan for McLaren, the team’s willingness to acknowledge their mistakes and learn from them is a positive takeaway. This experience has highlighted areas for improvement, particularly in pre-race preparation and communication, and the team appears determined to build on these lessons moving forward.
