McLaren team principal Andrea Stella stated that the team is targeting a strong performance in Las Vegas to move past previous difficulties at the Nevada venue. The upcoming race follows a dominant weekend at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix, where Lando Norris secured his third victory of the season and teammate Oscar Piastri demonstrated significant pace improvements.
Challenging Layout and Upgrades
Racing on the Las Vegas Strip presents unique challenges due to the cold evening temperatures and a layout featuring long straights. Stella noted that top-speed requirements in Monza and Baku previously exposed limitations in the car, compounded by gear ratios that are not optimized for extreme top speeds. However, he expressed confidence in the team’s prospects given the overall improvements in car speed.
The performance gains stem from various upgrades introduced since the summer break, including a new front wing in Brazil aimed at enhancing car predictability. Stella confirmed that additional new parts will debut in Las Vegas, serving as a development foundation for next year’s car.
Learning From Past Disappointments
Reflecting on the previous year’s event where Norris and Piastri crossed the line in second and fourth before both cars were disqualified due to excessive skid block wear, Stella emphasized the desire for a clean weekend. He described Las Vegas as the circuit where the team has struggled the most among all races on the calendar, noting that past competitiveness was undone by technical infractions.
With three races remaining in the season, McLaren occupies fourth place in the constructors’ standings, sitting 17 points behind Red Bull. The team faces mounting pressure to deliver strong results under the neon lights to secure third position in the championship.
