McLaren has been the undisputed force of the 2025 Formula 1 season. However, team principal Andrea Stella is not celebrating yet, as the most recent races have revealed some vulnerabilities in the team’s dominant car.
A dip in performance at Monza and Baku
The last two Grands Prix saw McLaren performing below its usual level of excellence. Max Verstappen capitalized on this opportunity, taking victory first at Monza and then again in Baku. While the Dutchman still remains too far from the McLaren duo to be a real contender for the Drivers’ Championship, these results highlighted certain weaknesses in the papaya-colored car.
Overall, McLaren has been the most consistent and high-performing team of the year. That consistency is expected to deliver them the Constructors’ Championship, likely as early as Singapore, with seven races to spare. Still, the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in particular turned into a difficult weekend. Oscar Piastri crashed out on the opening lap, while Lando Norris could only manage seventh place at the finish.
Braking profile exposes a weakness
Unlike most 2025 weekends where McLaren’s advantage was obvious, the races at Monza and Baku – both won by Max Verstappen – highlighted the team’s Achilles’ heel. According to Andrea Stella, the common factor at these tracks is the braking profile. Both circuits require heavy braking at high speeds along the straights, a situation in which the MCL39 feels less comfortable. The Italian team boss also warned that Las Vegas could present similar challenges.
“From a performance point of view, if you asked me, ‘Which has been the toughest weekend?’, I would say Baku or Las Vegas,” Stella told the media. “We know very well that the characteristics of our car make it very competitive in long and medium-speed corners, which are not present at either Baku or Las Vegas.”
He added: “The car is not particularly effective under straight-line braking, which happens frequently at those tracks, or when it comes to following very precise driving lines. The car tends to rotate naturally into corners – like Turn 1 at Zandvoort, a perfect McLaren corner. But there are no such corners in Baku or Las Vegas.”
A versatile car still in the fight
Despite the difficulties, Stella praised the engineering work behind the MCL39. “That being said, the car was still quick enough to fight for pole position in Baku, which is credit to the engineers who designed a very versatile machine. So, just like in Baku, we won’t be surprised if McLaren remains one of the most competitive cars in Las Vegas.”
Leave a Reply