Oscar Piastri from Australia drove the McLaren MCL38 car during the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on March 9, 2024, as part of the Formula 1 World Championship, Round 2.
Andrea Stella, the boss of McLaren’s Formula 1 team, has hinted that significant upgrades will be introduced in the upcoming months to address the limitations of the MCL38 car.
McLaren had a challenging start to the previous season but managed to turn things around midway, consistently achieving podium finishes.
Their redesigned car outperformed their rivals, except for Red Bull, and secured fourth place in the overall standings.
However, Ferrari’s own improvements this season have given them an edge over the teams competing with Red Bull, resulting in a close battle between McLaren and Mercedes.
During the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, McLaren’s evolved car showcased both its strengths and weaknesses. Oscar Piastri struggled to overtake Lewis Hamilton using the DRS system, but Hamilton couldn’t fully utilize his top speed advantage when trying to catch up with Lando Norris, as the MCL38 performed exceptionally well in high-speed corners.
Stella acknowledges that McLaren is aware of the limitations of their 2024 car and admits that the Jeddah Corniche Circuit highlighted areas that need improvement.
“We are well aware of the limitations of our car,” he stated. “I have spoken about it frequently. These limitations are quite evident at this circuit, along with the areas where our car excels.
“In Sector 1, anyone behind a McLaren would lose ground. The car responds very well in fast-flowing corners, where a slight steering input is enough.
“However, in long corners, like the last one, where you need to hold the steering for a longer duration, the car struggles a bit, causing us to lose time. This is where Ferrari excels, and it explains why Charles Leclerc was so competitive in the last sector, particularly in that corner.
“Another limitation is our desire for more top speed.
“So, these two aspects are clearly exposed at this track, with its long straights and a few lengthy corners, where the limitations become apparent.”
“I believe there is room for further comprehension of the vehicle,” he stated. “For instance, in Saudi Arabia, we approached the setup of the two cars differently, and I believe we have observed some intriguing advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, it is desirable to acquire this knowledge and apply it in the future.
“However, apart from this fine-tuning, which may only yield a marginal improvement, there is no magical solution to be found. We have already conducted extensive testing over the course of three rain-free days. I believe we have a solid understanding of the car, with the exception of the minor variation between the two vehicles, which we will assess.
“Ultimately, our performance will heavily depend on upgrades and our ability to adapt to the specific characteristics of each track. For instance, if Suzuka’s Sector 1 resembles the characteristics of Sector 1 here, McLaren is expected to excel. Therefore, we anticipate that Suzuka will be a favorable circuit for us.”
Despite this, Stella is well aware that the race for development will once again play a crucial role, and he has disclosed that McLaren will have “minor” improvements at the next round.
“Otherwise, it’s a battle of progress,” he added.
“And the progress can be seen in various ways, such as aerodynamic upgrades that we will announce, and they will be quite noticeable.
“Or there are other aspects that can be improved from a mechanical or even aerodynamic standpoint. And currently, we have both in the works.
“We have some small enhancements that will be introduced in Australia and hopefully in Japan, but they will only make a few milliseconds of difference.
“And then, hopefully, within the first third of the season, we will have a major upgrade.”
Stella has explained that the delay in McLaren bringing significant improvements to the track is due to the budget cap, which has made teams more cautious.
The Italian also highlighted the challenge of optimizing new parts with only one practice session during Sprint weekends, which further supports McLaren’s patient approach.
“Implementing upgrades nowadays doesn’t require much in terms of logistics,” he argued.
“The main challenge is deciding whether to bring upgrades to Sprint races or not. For example, in China and Miami, where there is only one free practice session.
“But then there is another challenge, which is the budget cap. As soon as you have a reasonable upgrade ready for production, you can’t just go ahead because it would exceed the budget. So, you have to be convinced that it will be a worthwhile upgrade before giving the green light and spending the money.
“And I would also say that another reason why we don’t introduce upgrades in Australia is that it takes time. Creating a significant package that represents a substantial improvement requires time.
“We are very satisfied with our rate of development. Over the past 12 months, we have seen a consistent rate of progress.
“So, we gave the green light for Austria last year, then for Singapore, and now it will be around race six or race seven with the new car.”
McLaren’s remarkable surge to fourth place in the Constructors’ Championship has resulted in fewer wind tunnel testing hours compared to previous seasons.
When asked if this has hindered the team’s progress, Stella replied: “You do encounter limitations due to the restricted aerodynamic development as a result of finishing higher in the championship. Honestly, I hope that in the future, we will have fewer limitations. It would indicate that we are performing better and better in the championship.”