McLaren started the 2023 season in dismal fashion, struggling for points and ended it as arguably the second-fastest team on the grid. During an end-of-the-year feature on Team Principals, Sky Sport F1’s David Croft recollected a conversation with McLaren’s Andrea Stella and how the latter told him that he did not want McLaren to be ‘too fast‘ in 2023 to be able to focus on their 2024 goals.
In a video uploaded to their YouTube channel, Croft alongside Ted Kravitz, narrated a paddock chat he shared with Stella back at the 2023 Hungarian GP. While reflecting on their upgrade package, Stella reportedly told him, “We don’t want to get carried away making this car even faster because we might lose focus on next year.”
By the Austrian GP, McLaren had clawed back some immense amount of performance from its ill-developed MCL60. However, even putting 2024 into context, Red Bull are far clear of their rivals. Hence, it only made sense to focus on the future rather than to utilize all their resources on a championship that was pretty much done and dusted by mid-season.
The turning point in the design philosophy of the MCL60 was the upgrade package the the team brought to the Austrian GP. It consisted of a completely overhauled engine cover, sidepod design and a brand new floor. Since then, they’ve been arguably the second-fastest car on the grid on more than one occasion. Naturally, on occasion, the team even put the Bulls in a worry and for 2024, they seem to be the Milton-Keynes team’s biggest threat.
McLaren could end Red Bull’s dominance in 2024
The RB19 was a class apart from the rest of the field. Keeping Red Bull aside though, the others were fairly close to each other. In 2024, the likes of Ferrari, Mercedes, McLaren and even Aston Martin are tipped to be closer to the RB20 in terms to pace.
The actual quantum of the pace-deficit clawed back by these teams in unknown. The answers will only get clearer once pre-season testing for the new season begins in February. However, one thing is for sure, some really intense races, and a potentially iconic season awaits us in 2024.
“Oscar Piastri has really sharpened Lando Norris up”
With their strong driver liner-up, could we see more McLaren papaya on the podium in 2024? pic.twitter.com/Z9kglcCKB5
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) December 10, 2023
Even Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has buoyed the hopes of their rivals. He said that the developmental work being done on the RB20 is actually only giving them marginal gains and the car isn’t exactly a rocketship when compared to its predecessor.
Despite all the paddock chatter, the pecking order will only be absolutely clear when the cars hit the track for the very first Grand Prix of the 2024 season in Bahrain.
