Andrea Stella has taken full responsibility for McLaren’s disappointing performance at the Mexico City qualifying on Saturday. The team principal admitted that the unpredictable handling of the MCL40, combined with a sudden loss of grip, severely compromised both their drivers.
Speaking to the media about the team’s struggles, Andrea Stella pointed towards the inconsistent behaviour of the MCL40 and the core issues affecting the drivers in qualifying.
“I think at the start of qualifying, the performance was still there,” Stella said. “The car, though, at some stage, kind of exhibited the inconsistencies that we see this year with the MCL40, and this caught Oscar in Q2 and Lando in Q3.”
“At some stage, when the drivers try to push that little bit more than ideal because they feel this grip is available, actually the grip disappears. And this is a weird behavior. It makes the life of the drivers very difficult. I think it’s exacerbated when the conditions are tricky like here, with a little bit of wind, but that’s what it is.”
Andrea Stella also took responsibility to improve the car before Sunday’s main event, which is set to kick off at 2 PM local time. McLaren had a dramatic shift in form on Saturday. They dominated the final practice session before struggling with the car in qualifying.
How the Andrea Stella-Led Team Fared on Saturday
The Woking-based outfit had looked particularly strong heading into Saturday’s qualifying session. Lando Norris dominated FP3 with a lap time of 1:17.600, edging out Kimi Antonelli by just 1 millisecond.
The Briton carried that momentum into Q2, producing what he described as a near-magical lap to top the timing sheets and establish himself as a contender for pole position.
However, McLaren’s performance took an unexpected turn in Q3. Norris struggled to reproduce his pace from Q2 and ultimately had to settle for sixth on the grid. Meanwhile, teammate Oscar Piastri endured an even more difficult session, failing to progress in Q3 and qualifying in 12th place.
Lando Norris Is Happy About Kimi Succeeding Him As Champion
The defending Formula 1 champion has praised the current championship leader Antonelli as the Italian is close to creating history this weekend. The Mercedes driver needs a ninth-place finish or higher in Mexico to become the sport’s youngest world champion at the age of 20.
Ahead of the Mexico City GP, when asked about Antonelli’s accomplishment, Norris said he would be happy to pass the No.1 car tag to Antonelli and praised the 20-year-old driver.
“I have nothing but respect for Kimi,” Norris told Sky Sports F1. “He’s a very nice guy. We get along very well, and I’m more than happy to pass the No. 1 over to him.
“He deserves it. He’s done an incredible job, especially in his second year in Formula 1. Youngest world champion, it’s pretty insane. I enjoy other people having that kind of success. It’s nice to see.”
McLaren is in a close battle with Red Bull for third in the constructors’ standings as both teams sit on the same tally of 355 points. Sunday’s Mexican GP could see Red Bull take the outright lead with Piastri starting outside the top 10.
More F1 Reading
- Oscar Piastri Can’t Explain Grip Loss That Ended His Mexico City Qualifying in Q2
- Lewis Hamilton Delivers ‘Millimetre Perfect’ Lap to Claim First Ferrari Pole at Mexican GP
- ‘I Couldn’t Believe My Eyes’: Max Verstappen Claims Lando Norris Incident Compromised His Pole Bid in Mexico City Qualifying
- Charles Leclerc Warns Mexican Grand Prix Order Will Be Set in First Few Corners
Comments
More in News
Oscar Piastri Can’t Explain Grip Loss That Ended His Mexico City Qualifying in Q2
Lewis Hamilton Delivers ‘Millimetre Perfect’ Lap to Claim First Ferrari Pole at Mexican GP
‘I Couldn’t Believe My Eyes’: Max Verstappen Claims Lando Norris Incident Compromised His Pole Bid in Mexico City Qualifying
Charles Leclerc Warns Mexican Grand Prix Order Will Be Set in First Few Corners
