Author: Barkha Roy
McLaren team boss Andrea Stella has expressed caution as the team prepares for the Belgian Grand Prix at the iconic Spa-Francorchamps circuit. Despite being the closest challenger to Red Bull and Max Verstappen in recent races, Stella believes that the Spa layout could expose the weaknesses of his Formula 1 car.
In the previous races, in Great Britain and Hungary, McLaren showed a strong performance, with Lando Norris securing second place on both occasions and Oscar Piastri finishing fourth and fifth respectively. However, Norris had played down his chances of making it to the Hungarian Grand Prix due to the car’s suitability for the high-speed corners, which were scarce at the Hungaroring circuit. Surprisingly, McLaren adapted well to the challenging track, showing its versatility and securing competitive positions.
As they head towards Spa, Stella remains wary of certain sections of the track that could pose challenges for the car’s performance. Although Spa is known for its high-speed corners in the intermediate sector, Stella highlights the slow chicanes and hairpins, such as Turns 1 (La Source), 8 (Les Combes) and the last chicane, where they have lost time in previous races.
Stella emphasizes the importance of quickly adapting the car’s configuration to meet the demands of the track, especially as the Belgian Grand Prix is a Sprint event, adding an extra layer of complexity to the competition. Understanding the ideal height of the car is crucial for tackling Eau Rouge, as riding too low can cause problems under the car.
Despite the challenges ahead, McLaren remains motivated by its recent successes. The Hungarian Grand Prix saw Lando Norris secure second place in a row, with Oscar Piastri showing determination despite running with damage to his floorboard for a significant part of the race. This solid performance further solidified McLaren’s position ahead of BWT Alpine F1 Team in the Constructors’ Championship.
Stella praises the team’s recent upgrades to the MCL60 car, which proved effective in both the cooler conditions of Silverstone and the warmer temperatures of Hungary. The team’s ability to remain competitive on tracks with low-speed corners has been a significant point of progress.
As the Belgian Grand Prix in Spa approaches, McLaren faces the challenge of optimizing the car’s configuration to efficiently cope with the track’s diverse characteristics. Stella recognizes the importance of finding the right balance between high-speed capabilities and low-speed cornering performance.