Max Verstappen of the Netherlands, driving for Red Bull Racing RB20, is leading the pack in the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai. McLaren team boss Andrea Stella believes that Red Bull’s decision to prioritize resources for the 2024 season early on has given the impression that their Formula 1 rivals are falling behind. McLaren, who made significant progress last year, was expected to be Red Bull’s closest competitor. However, it is Ferrari who has emerged as the main contender, with five podium finishes and a 1-2 finish in Australia, currently sitting comfortably in second place in the championship. Nevertheless, McLaren is still in the fight and took advantage of a less than ideal weekend for Ferrari in Shanghai, securing second place through Lando Norris.
Stella is confident that McLaren is on an upward trajectory, despite Red Bull’s focus on developing the RB20 car, which may give the impression that they have regressed. When asked if McLaren can establish themselves as the second team, Stella stated that their development over the past year has been more significant than any other team. He believes that Red Bull did not make much progress last year, as they were heavily invested in the groundwork for their innovative car design. Developing such a car requires months of redesigning. Stella acknowledges that McLaren may have lost some ground in the short term, but that is because they had made significant gains while Red Bull was not actively developing their car. Stella emphasizes the importance of looking at long-term progress, as McLaren is on a strong trajectory. He believes that if they continue their development over the next 12 months, they have the potential to catch up to Red Bull.
Stella previously mentioned in Japan that McLaren needs to replicate last season’s development in order to consistently compete with Ferrari. He reiterates that the team will introduce upgrades to the MCL38 car in the next race in Miami, aiming to bridge the small gap between them and Ferrari. Stella acknowledges that development is a constant battle in Formula 1, with teams constantly striving to improve their cars. He points out that other teams, like Sauber and Haas, have already introduced upgrades and seen improvements in their performance. Stella emphasizes the importance of continuous improvement and states that McLaren is fully committed to this approach.