McLaren’s Racing Director, Andrea Stella, Reveals Telltale Signs that Hinted at Mercedes’ Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix Threat
In the aftermath of the Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix, McLaren’s Racing Director, Andrea Stella, has shed light on the subtle indicators that led him to suspect Mercedes would pose a significant threat at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. Despite Mercedes’ lackluster performance in the opening eight races, Stella remained convinced that the German marque would eventually break into the top three, and his intuition was vindicated as George Russell clinched pole position and a podium finish.
Speaking to Autosport, Stella reflected on the intermittent glimpses of Mercedes’ potential that were evident as early as the Monaco Grand Prix. “> I was already saying on Thursday to some of your colleagues that I think Mercedes is part of the fastest teams,” he said. “Some of the lap times they did in Monaco, some of the lap times they did in the previous events, they were at that stage of the weekend for us, out of range. We could not do that lap time at that time of the weekend, not even with low fuel and engine up.”
Stella attributed Mercedes’ sudden upswing in performance to the introduction of a new front wing in Monaco, which has effectively addressed the balance issue that had been limiting their pace. The new wing has made the W15 more effortless to handle, particularly in high-speed and low-speed corners. “> I’m not surprised that Mercedes could unlock some performance working on the front wing,” Stella added. “There is a possibility that they have also kind of fixed some issues that they were having with the previous front wing.”
As Formula 1 today stands, Mercedes’ resurgence has significant implications for the championship standings. With the team’s first podium of the season, they are now poised to challenge the leading trio. The Formula 1 calendar has plenty of twists and turns ahead, and it will be fascinating to see how Mercedes builds upon this momentum.
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