McLaren has lost the critical tyre temperature management advantage that was a hallmark of their success last year. Once the class leader in controlling degradation, especially on the rear axle, the Woking squad now concedes that edge is gone with their current challenger. Lando Norris points to Mercedes as the new benchmark, while Ferrari also shows strong cornering pace.
Team boss Andrea Stella confirms the struggle, noting the car isn't managing tyre temperatures as effectively in both cold (Canada) and hot (Barcelona) conditions. A significant design overhaul for the current car, driven by reduced downforce, smaller tyres, and new brake cooling demands, forced McLaren to reset some concepts. This meant sacrificing previous cooling gains.
Heading into Barcelona, both Norris and Oscar Piastri foresee a tough race. Without their historical tyre advantage, they expect limited opportunities against Mercedes and Ferrari. Norris believes rivals can manage tyres better, running slower yet still quicker. McLaren faces an uphill battle, needing to push harder and risk overheating to contend. The team must rapidly develop their car to regain this crucial performance window.
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