McLaren Formula 1 boss Andrea Stella has clarified that there was no “single silver bullet” attributable to the team’s podium-scoring
Stella termed F1’s return to China at the Shanghai International Circuit a “damage limitation” round due to its challenging corners, but McLaren exceeded expectations by clinching Sprint pole and securing a podium with Lando Norris despite initially not anticipating it. The team’s competitiveness in the drier conditions earlier in the weekend surprised Stella, as McLaren managed to outpace Ferrari during the race, contrary to their predictions. Stella highlighted that McLaren’s performance in the race was unexpected, especially in terms of race pace, given their usual struggle to maintain performance over consecutive laps. The cooler temperatures and the Shanghai track’s characteristics, which no longer heavily strain the front tires, were credited for McLaren’s success, as they managed to keep the rear tires under control and utilize the car’s strengths effectively in the race. Set-up tweaks aimed at enhancing race pace post-Sprint pleasantly surprised McLaren by not compromising their single-lap speed, showcasing a combination of factors contributing to the team’s overall performance improvement.
