Following the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona, Andrea Stella offered a series of honest and insightful comments regarding McLaren’s current competitiveness. As is often the case, the team principal provided a clear assessment of both the strengths and weaknesses of the MCL40, offering valuable clues about what to expect from the team at the Austrian Grand Prix and how it compares to Ferrari.
McLaren vs Ferrari: what the MCL40 is still missing
The McLaren team principal was very direct when describing the technical characteristics of the car.
“We are reasonably competitive in high-speed sections, but we need to add aerodynamic grip to improve in medium- and low-speed corners, where we are currently losing ground,” he explained.
Indeed, on circuits dominated by fast corners, the MCL40 has often appeared much closer to Ferrari in terms of outright pace. However, when the focus shifts to medium- and low-speed turns, where mechanical grip becomes increasingly important or must work in perfect harmony with aerodynamic performance, McLaren’s limitations become more apparent.
In simple terms, the car is still missing some efficiency when it comes to generating and maintaining downforce through the more technical sections of a lap.
It is important to remember that aerodynamic load is heavily influenced by the car’s operating attitude and ride-height characteristics. The effectiveness of the floor, along with the way airflow interacts with the entire chassis, determines how much performance can be extracted across different speed ranges.
To maximise competitiveness on mixed-layout circuits, every aerodynamic component must operate efficiently across a broad range of conditions. This is precisely the challenge McLaren continues to face.
The development work still required on the MCL40
At higher speeds, the aerodynamic platform of the MCL40 functions effectively. The problem emerges when cornering speeds decrease.
As speeds fall, ride heights naturally increase and the aerodynamic conditions around the car change. The result is a reduction in downforce generation, limiting performance in slower sections of the circuit.
This is the area where McLaren’s development programme is currently concentrated. Engineers are working to expand the operating window of each aerodynamic component so the car can maintain consistent performance regardless of corner speed.
Andrea Stella also acknowledged Ferrari’s current strength.
“Ferrari is in a position to fight for the top places regardless,” he said.
The SF-26 appears to hold a slight development advantage at this stage of the season, helped in part by the additional aerodynamic concessions available following last year’s Constructors’ Championship results.
Stella also highlighted another encouraging aspect of McLaren’s performance in Barcelona.
“It is good news that we were able to keep pace with Mercedes at Montmeló.”
Based on performance data and aerodynamic analysis, McLaren believes the MCL40 possesses the raw potential to compete closely with both Ferrari and Mercedes. However, another crucial factor continues to limit the car’s ability to fully exploit that potential.
Tyre management could again be decisive in Austria
Tyre usage proved to be one of the defining factors during the Spanish Grand Prix, and Andrea Stella openly admitted that it remains an area requiring further attention.
“The key difference in the race came down to tyre management. The way the car and the driver interact with the tyres during a long stint is certainly an area that we need to investigate and improve,” he explained.
The Austrian Grand Prix is expected to place slightly different demands on the tyres. Degradation should be driven primarily by thermal factors rather than extreme lateral loads, as only Turns 5 and 6 place significant cornering stress on the tyres.
However, the weekend is expected to be extremely hot, creating a new set of challenges.
The Red Bull Ring features several critical traction zones where rear tyre management becomes essential. Controlling wheelspin and preserving rear grip over long stints could play a decisive role in determining race pace.
With high track temperatures and Pirelli bringing the softest compounds in its range, there is a genuine risk of overheating and excessively degrading the rear tyres.
This scenario could expose one of McLaren’s current weaknesses. At the same time, as Andrea Stella himself suggested, part of the problem may not be purely technical. The interaction between the driver and the car can also significantly influence tyre degradation, meaning setup choices and driving style could become just as important as the underlying characteristics of the MCL40.
For that reason, Austria may provide another important test for McLaren. If the team can improve tyre management while maintaining its competitiveness in high-speed sections, it could remain firmly in the fight with Ferrari and Mercedes. If not, the Scuderia may once again hold the advantage in one of the most critical aspects of modern Formula 1 performance.
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