McLaren

Stella concedes upgrades 'will NOT be enough' as McLaren woes continue

Harry Smith Wednesday 22 March 2023 16:50

Stella concedes upgrades 'will NOT be enough' as McLaren woes continue

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has issued a worrying update on the outfit's upgrade plans.

The Woking-based team has endured a tough start to the F1 season, failing to score points in both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.

Stella, who was promoted to replace Andreas Seidl over the winter, will be feeling the pressure, especially given the mounting speculation surrounding Lando Norris' long-term future with McLaren.

'We want to have a top-four car'

Speaking in the wake of another disappointing weekend Stella said: "When it comes to the car's weaknesses, we're talking about aerodynamic efficiency.

"But that doesn't mean the car creates too much drag. It's just the downforce-to-drag ratio, which isn't as great as we thought it would be.

"That's the biggest weakness."

Oscar Piastri's McLaren locks up at Turn 10 in Bahrain

Confirming that McLaren's expected upgrade package would arrive on time

Stella added that the major upgrade package would indeed be arriving in time for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix but downplayed its potential impact.

"If we look at the upgrade for Baku then the numbers look promising. Hopefully, we can get fifth place with it.

"But it is not enough to reach our goals for the season because we want to have a top-four car."

Latest News

Latest F1 News

F1 announce huge 2025 signing as STAR-STUDDED lineup confirmed

1 hour ago

F1 Today

F1 News Today: Aston Martin confirm Stroll switch as ANGER emerges over Ricciardo replacement

3 hours ago

F1 Opinion

Inside F1's 2025 live launch: Red Bull SILENCED after horrendous Horner reaction

Today 13:28

Latest F1 News

Lewis Hamilton issues eighth world championship verdict after Ferrari shakedown

Today 11:59

F1 Social

Red Bull confirm driver change in Liam Lawson announcement

Today 10:56

Red Bull

Verstappen told to FORGET Lewis Hamilton rivalry as depth of Red Bull issues emerge

Today 09:54

More news

F1 News 24/7

Races

About GPFans

GPFans is a multi-platform, multi-language brand dedicated to Formula One coverage. We bring you all the ins and outs of the sport, 24/7, everything from up-to-the-minute news and features to the latest viral stories and clips.

We believe that a new generation of exciting, outspoken drivers will make F1 more popular than ever before, and we want to give our users access to as much of their heroes as possible, on and off the track. From Lewis Hamilton to Max Verstappen, Daniel Ricciardo to Sebastian Vettel, we provide in-depth analysis of every every Grand Prix in the season, from Australia to Abu Dhabi.

With Formula One under the new ownership of Liberty Media, how the sport is being covered is evolving, and GPFans will look to be at the heart of this progression into new media, as one of the fastest-growing sites covering the king of motorsports.

Follow us on your favorite social media channel

Corporate & Media

Innovatieweg 20C
7007 CD, Doetinchem, Netherlands
+31645516860

CHOOSE YOUR COUNTRY