MCLAREN ‘DEFINITELY RAISED THE BAR’ IN BARCELONA – STELLA

McLaren Team Principal Andrea Stella confirmed the team "definitely raised the bar" on reliability at the Spanish Grand Prix, a crucial step after Lando Norris’ retirements in Canada and Monaco. Norris' podium finish, while partly aided by rivals' DNFs, proved the MCL40 could run a clean race. This now allows McLaren to pivot focus entirely to performance.

Stella admits Ferrari’s recent upgrades put them ahead, particularly in medium-speed corners where they show the "best chassis." McLaren, while competitive in high-speed corners, struggles with overall grip in medium and low-speed sections. The Barcelona weekend provided "very clear indications" on where to improve. McLaren’s agenda is now clear: they need to add aerodynamic grip to the car and improve tire exploitation, both in qualifying preparation and reducing race degradation. They sit P3 in the standings, 49 points behind Ferrari, with a precise roadmap to challenge the frontrunners.