Andrea Stella highlighted the work done by the engineers to optimize the cooling system of the McLaren MCL39. McLaren confirmed itself as the clear frontrunner at the end of the Miami weekend, where it left a significant gap to third-placed George Russell. On the Florida street circuit, the MCL39 had no rivals during the race, and the key behind the recent success of the Woking-based team appears to be temperature management — both of the tyres and the entire power unit.
The car’s strengths are numerous. The MCL39 boasts an exceptional aerodynamic package: the floor generates so much downforce that the team can focus more on mechanical grip, as seen in Miami. In addition to aerodynamics, the new suspension geometry, featuring an extreme configuration of the arms, is helping deliver perfect balance to the MCL39. However, these are not the only factors making the car the best on the grid: temperature control seems to have been the true starting point in the car’s development, and Andrea Stella placed special emphasis on this aspect.
Andrea Stella’s comments
Andrea Stella, the team principal, spoke about this, emphasizing the car’s effectiveness in tyre management: “I think we’ve already seen it and talked about it multiple times: every time conditions really stress the tyres, especially due to overheating, our car manages to keep the tyres in the ideal window and is very gentle on them,” Andrea Stella said.
“There’s been excellent engineering work behind it: we holistically analyzed all the characteristics that could influence tyre behavior, and I want to take this opportunity to praise the work done by the McLaren engineers in identifying these factors, designing them practically, and mastering one of the aspects that in F1 still remains partially a dark science — tyre management.”
Thermal management of the power unit
In addition to perfect tyre management — thanks also to the sophisticated brake ducts that caught attention in the paddock — Andrea Stella also wanted to emphasize the efficiency of the overall cooling system, which is crucial for managing the power unit.
“I’m very proud of the team and our drivers, who have been part of this process. I’d say that especially when it’s hot, there’s another feature that suits our car very well, which is the cooling system,” he added.
“I believe that when it’s hot, our car, even though it has a relatively closed bodywork, is the result of outstanding engineering work on the cooling system and the overall layout.
In these conditions, you can see how McLaren’s engineering excellence has reached a level that truly makes a difference.”
The Miami circuit showcased the strengths of the MCL39, allowing it to build a massive lead during the race. However, it’s not an isolated case caused solely by the track layout.
Today, McLaren is the most complete project on the grid, and it will be difficult for rivals to close the gap in the short term.
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