After Lando Norris’s podium finish in the sprint race at the British Grand Prix, it was thought that McLaren had improved sufficiently. However, the truth became evident during qualifying, where the results clashed with expectations.
Norris finished third in Saturday’s contest, standing out in an intense battle with drivers like George Russell and Max Verstappen. Nevertheless, the differences with the frontrunners, such as Kimi Antonelli from Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton from Ferrari, were evident.
Disappointing qualifying
Qualifying showed a worrying picture for McLaren. Norris could only qualify in sixth position, finishing 0.766 seconds behind the pole sitter. His teammate, Oscar Piastri, ended up even further back, in eighth position.
The Silverstone circuit, known for its speed, amplified McLaren’s weaknesses, particularly in terms of aerodynamic efficiency. Team principal Andrea Stella admitted that his team was two to three months behind their competitors in this regard.
Structural difficulties
Stella pointed out that windy conditions made the team’s performance even more complicated. “The track offers less grip than in Austria, and the car behaved unstably under these conditions,” he explained. He also highlighted that, comparatively, Ferrari and Mercedes had a better handling in the corners.
Additionally, McLaren is at a slight disadvantage due to the optimization of their Mercedes HPP engine. “We still have a bit to go to maximize the performance of this engine,” he acknowledged. The disparity in performance dispatch of the power unit is one of the factors severely affecting the team’s performance this season.
Future expectations
Despite the disappointments, Stella was hopeful about Norris’s third place in the sprint, believing it is a sign that the team can improve. However, he warned that this result does not reflect the actual situation of the team, but rather depended on circumstances like a good race start and the ability to stay out of battles that drain the car’s battery.
McLaren is now preparing to face the challenging Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps, where they hope the updates they present in Hungary will improve their competitive options.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI