McLaren’s Formula One journey recently took an astonishing turn. After scoring just seventeen points in the first eight rounds of the 2023 season, an upgraded car at the Red Bull Ring saw Lando Norris nearly double their points in one race. For the rest of the year, Norris outperformed all drivers except Max Verstappen, with McLaren outscoring both Mercedes and Ferrari.
Andreas Stella revealed that the 2024 car would be more about evolution than revolution, building on the strengths of the previous model. Meanwhile, Ferrari started the season strong, racking up five podiums in the first four races, including a win for Carlos Sainz in Australia. McLaren, however, claimed just one podium with Lando Norris.
By the time they reached Japan for the new sprint race, McLaren was 55 points behind Ferrari. Despite Charles Leclerc’s maiden win in Monaco, McLaren narrowed this lead to just seven points heading into Hungary. Norris won in Miami by capitalizing on a safety car situation and led in Canada under tricky conditions until a strategy error cost him the lead, and he finished second.
In Silverstone, McLaren made another strategic blunder by copying Lewis Hamilton’s tire choice, which allowed Verstappen, on harder tires, to overtake Norris. When the rain came, McLaren compounded their error by sending Oscar Piastri around again instead of double-stacking for a tire change. Without these mistakes, McLaren would likely have overtaken Ferrari in the Constructors’ Championship. Andreas Stella admitted they should have chosen medium tires for Norris in the British GP, but they consulted with him instead of making the call based on available data. Stella pointed out their progress was due to the team’s collective effort, emphasizing that mistakes offer valuable lessons.
Stella likened the recent trackside errors to the technical issues he faced when he took over in January 2023. He praised the McLaren staff, who turned a struggling car into a competitive one in less than five months. Stella admired McLaren even when he worked for Ferrari, noting that many of the same talented people are still with the team. The McLaren boss believes examining their processes and learning from mistakes will lead to better results in the future.
Looking ahead to the second half of the season, Stella is optimistic. McLaren’s car, described as the fastest on the grid since Canada, should perform well. Lando Norris finished second at the Hungaroring last year, surprising many given the car’s previous issues with slow corners. With their current form, McLaren aims to challenge for top podium spots as the season progresses.
McLaren’s story is one of resilience and learning from mistakes. The team has shown remarkable improvement, and with their current pace, they are set to challenge the front-runners. As the season unfolds, all eyes will be on them to see if they can maintain this momentum and continue their climb up the standings.
