Unpredictable locking issues at Interlagos: a big problem to solve for McLaren. Brazil: McLaren struggled with lock-ups all weekend in wet track conditions with both drivers.

When you start a Grand Prix from pole position and finish in sixth place, it’s clear that multiple factors worked against you. Lando Norris knows this well; in Brazil, he had a great opportunity to reopen the title fight, only to see Max Verstappen win after starting from 17th place.

It was an incredible display of strength from the Dutchman, already a legendary moment in Formula 1 history. Meanwhile, McLaren is left to nurse its wounds. The strategy, used by everyone except the top three finishers, only proved to be incorrect in hindsight.

But what made things more difficult were the frequent front-wheel lock-ups that both Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri had to deal with throughout the entire São Paulo weekend.

One of these cost Lando Norris several positions on the final restart after the red flag, allowing Charles Leclerc to gain a spot and helping Ferrari lose only two points to the British team in the Constructors’ Championship battle.

“When we have the type of lock-ups we had today, I’m certainly not looking at what the drivers did,” said McLaren team principal Andrea Stella, exonerating his drivers from claims that they succumbed to pressure over the weekend. We are looking into why our cars experienced front-wheel lock-ups in the conditions we had this weekend. I don’t believe pressure was a significant factor.” – the McLaren team boss pointed out at the end of the Sau Paulo Grand Prix

“We struggled with lock-ups all weekend in wet track conditions with both drivers, and I think it’s something we’ll need to pay attention to from a car perspective.” – he added.

The lock-ups that slowed down the MCL38s mainly occurred on a wet or at least damp track. These were frequent but unpredictable. The braking effect changed from lap to lap, and one of these lock-ups proved costly for Lando Norris from a competitive standpoint.

“It’s something we’ll need to focus on. We’ve seen these lock-ups happen in certain conditions. I can’t delve further into the issue, but I believe it’s something unpredictable for the drivers, and it’s also hard to adapt from lap to lap. These lock-ups happen unpredictably. I would say it’s a technical opportunity for the team, not something the drivers need to fix on their own.”