After a complicated start to the 2026 Formula 1 season, McLaren has returned to the prestigious stage with two consecutive victories in Budapest and Zandvoort. The team’s principal, Andrea Stella, shows caution and states that the Italian Grand Prix will be the true testing ground for the MCL40.
Despite the two recent victories, Lando Norris is 83 points behind the championship leader, Kimi Antonelli, igniting hope of defending his drivers’ title. However, Stella calls for patience, insisting that the goal is to focus on each individual race. ‘We need to maximize every opportunity,’ he commented when referring to the challenges that McLaren faces in the upcoming race in Monza.
The Monza circuit presents very different requirements from those of the Zandvoort and Budapest circuits, which have a design that requires high aerodynamic support. In the Italian circuit, the long straights and chicanes pose a challenge that will reveal how and if McLaren can apply the advancements made in the last races.
Norris has indicated that, while the team has been competent in medium-radius corners, there are still shortcomings in low-radius corners. This is crucial since Monza demands excellence in energy management and understanding of the power unit, aspects in which McLaren has been inferior to Mercedes at the start of the season.
For Stella, the Grand Prix not only serves to better understand the power unit but also to evaluate the MCL40 in low-downforce configurations, one of the team’s weak points so far. ‘There are also a large number of braking zones, another area where we are not the most competitive,’ he commented.
With all this, Stella continues with a cautious attitude, maintaining that the priority is to prepare for Monza without speculating about a potential title fight. ‘If we can confirm our improvements in Monza, then we can look to the future with more optimism,’ he concluded.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
