McLaren has faced difficulties with grip in long, slow corners for many years, along with aerodynamic inefficiency that affected its top speeds. The upgrades in 2023 improved performance in high-speed sections, but its weaknesses persisted until the first upgrade package in Miami, where Lando Norris won his first grand prix.
In Miami, McLaren was fast in high-downforce corners, but Ferrari still excelled in traction out of slow corners. However, McLaren performed well in low-speed sections in Monaco, a trend that surprised the team.
McLaren’s team principal, Andrea Stella, noted that the car performed unexpectedly well in low-speed corners in Miami and Monaco. Canada’s Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, with its mix of low-speed corners and long straights, will be a significant test for McLaren’s improvements.
While Norris is cautious about McLaren’s prospects in Canada, Stella highlighted the team’s ongoing work to improve performance over kerbs and bumps. He emphasized the importance of maintaining the car’s strengths while addressing weaknesses.
Stella expressed confidence that McLaren hadn’t sacrificed its high-downforce performance to fix its low-speed issues. The upcoming races in Barcelona and Spielberg will provide further insight into the team’s progress.
In 2023, McLaren struggled at the Canadian Grand Prix before significant upgrades transformed its performance. Now, the team faces the challenge of proving its progress on historically difficult circuits like Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.
