McLaren team principal Andrea Stella dismissed claims of underperformance in Imola, likening the comparison to the dominant Miami weekend as “apples and pears.”
Although Oscar Piastri clinched pole ahead of Max Verstappen in Imola, Red Bull showed stronger race pace with improved tyre management, hinting at McLaren’s potential underperformance.
Stella pointed out the differences in circuit layouts between Imola and Miami, emphasizing the higher-speed nature of tracks like Imola, Saudi Arabia, and Japan where Red Bull had stronger showings.
He suggested that Red Bull may have exaggerated McLaren’s advantage to heighten pressure on the team, while McLaren may have downplayed their own performance levels.
Stella humorously described Monaco as a “peach,” a unique circuit outside the apple and pear comparison, hinting at potential surprises in the upcoming races like Baku.
