McLaren’s Near Misses a Sign of Progress, Says Team Boss Andrea Stella
McLaren team principal Andrea Stella believes that the team’s recent near-misses in Formula 1 races are a positive indication of their progress over the past 12 months. The Woking-based squad came close to securing a victory at Silverstone, but strategic errors in the mixed-conditions encounter meant they had to settle for third and fourth place.
McLaren has built upon their remarkable turnaround last season to emerge as Red Bull’s most consistent contender in 2024, with Lando Norris winning his maiden race in Miami. However, the team has been in a position to win multiple races since, including in Canada, Spain, and Britain, only to fall short due to various shortcomings.
In the British Grand Prix, McLaren made a misguided call not to double-stack, ruining Oscar Piastri’s hopes, while Norris was leading when he pitted one lap too late back onto slicks. Despite these setbacks, Stella remains optimistic, pointing out that being in a position to win is a significant improvement from where the team was 12 months ago.
“Well, the near misses are first of all a point of view of good news, right? We didn’t have this kind of near misses until 12 months ago,” Stella stated. “First of all, we need to look at the positives, we need to look at the fact that the team is in condition to be frustrated today because we are P3 in the podium, the other driver P4, and once again the team that scored more points right.”
Stella emphasized the importance of acknowledging the team’s progress, rather than dwelling on the mistakes.
“So if we don’t start from the positives from the building side, we are going to be the ones that build and destroy. Build and destroy will stay always at the same level, so this is responsibility for everyone.”
The McLaren boss also dismissed claims that his team now has the quickest package in Formula 1, citing Mercedes’ pace in drier conditions at Silverstone.
“I mean, there’s this narrative around that McLaren is the best car, I think we make good use of the car, right. So I would like to emphasize the good work of the people that prepare the car, like we come to practice sessions and the car performs well and we build well through the weekend.”
With the Formula 1 calendar moving forward, Stella remains confident that McLaren will learn from their mistakes and be ready for the next opportunity.
“Like the frustration will go very rapidly, but the opportunity will come soon, so we need to be ready.”
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