Oscar Piastri (AUS) McLaren MCL38. 07.04.2024. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 4, Japanese Grand Prix, Suzuka, Japan, Race Day.
According to McLaren Formula 1 boss Andrea Stella, Lando Norris performed better than the Ferrari drivers in Japan during qualifying because the team’s deficit is less noticeable in one-lap conditions. The McLaren team was expected to excel at Suzuka due to the circuit’s high-speed nature, which suits their evolved MCL38 car. However, despite making aggressive strategic choices, McLaren was unable to beat Ferrari in the race. Stella emphasized that McLaren did not make any mistakes in their pursuit of a podium finish and that their position behind Ferrari accurately reflects the pace of the two cars. Stella also mentioned that McLaren’s weakness in slow-speed corners was not as prominent during qualifying but became more apparent once tire degradation set in.
When asked about whether Ferrari underperformed or McLaren overperformed in qualifying, Stella responded that it was a bit of both. He explained that on a new Soft tire, McLaren was able to compensate for some of their weaknesses, such as low speed, due to the increased grip. However, as the tires wore down during the race, the weaknesses of the car became more exposed. Stella acknowledged that McLaren will need to work hard to outdevelop Ferrari, similar to what they did last season, in order to close the gap to the Italian team. He emphasized that the most important thing for McLaren is to continue progressing and bringing upgrades to the car. Stella acknowledged that Ferrari will also bring upgrades and that it will be a race of upgrades between the two teams. However, he remained confident that McLaren can continue their strong trajectory if they are able to implement their planned upgrades successfully.