McLaren emerged as the fastest car on the grid midway through the 2024 season, which is why they avoided making major changes in the last few races. They aimed to prevent unnecessary complications from significant upgrades. Although there’s no immediate urgency, Team Principal Andrea Stella revealed that an upgrade could be introduced before the season concludes.
“We’re taking the time to convince ourselves that the development is ready to be taken to the track,” Stella told Motorsport.
McLaren started 2024 on the back foot, with Red Bull leading the field and Ferrari close behind. However, the upgrades introduced at the Miami GP marked a turning point for the Woking-based team. They not only matched but soon surpassed Red Bull’s performance, establishing themselves as regular contenders for race wins.
As a result, they adopted a cautious approach. However, with the business end of the season upon them, McLaren is aiming for further improvements and has decided to introduce significant floor upgrades to improve their car’s performance.
: McLaren is holding off on introducing an upgraded floor for its F1 car, fearing potential issues seen by rivals. Team boss Andrea Stella says McLaren is being cautious, ensuring the upgrade is fully tested to avoid problems like Aston Martin, Ferrari, and Red Bull faced this… pic.twitter.com/XteR0ka2NH
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McLaren is just eight points behind Red Bull in the Constructors’ championship. And with just eight races to go, there isn’t any margin for slip ups. A final ‘big’ upgrade could help them in this push.
McLaren’s final push
The Constructors’ title will not be McLaren’s only concern heading into this final stretch. Lando Norris, who is P2 in the standings, is also in the midst of a pursuit for the Drivers’ crown.
The Bristol-born driver is just 62 points away from Max Verstappen at the top, but will need his team’s full support if he is to dethrone the Dutchman. So far, the upgrades McLaren has brought this season have worked wonders, and Norris will be hoping for the same in the remaining races with more impending changes.
One of the things McLaren has to take care of other than its performance, is the way they deal with team orders. Refusing to prioritize Norris over Oscar Piastri cost the Briton a lot of points, perhaps even a win in Monza two weeks ago.
McLaren realized the mistake, and Stella even admitted that they would tip the scales in Norris’ favor moving forward.
