P1racenews AI automatic summary:
McLaren says addressing low downforce F1 phenomenon now a priority
McLaren has made significant progress this season with its MCL60 car, gaining consistency and challenging Red Bull. However, the recent Las Vegas Grand Prix revealed that McLaren’s rivals are better prepared in terms of low downforce configuration. With more high-speed circuits on the calendar, McLaren cannot afford to ignore this aspect of performance. Team boss Andrea Stella acknowledged that their data showed a greater loss of competitiveness in low downforce conditions compared to their competitors. Stella emphasized the importance of optimizing the car for races like Baku, Vegas, Monza, and Spa, as cars’ aerodynamics become more sensitive at low downforce levels. McLaren developed an ultra-low downforce specification for the Las Vegas GP but chose not to use it due to the low grip track surface.
