McLaren's major Formula 1 upgrade for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix did not immediately translate into a qualifying boost for Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. Nevertheless, the Woking-based team expressed satisfaction with the development package.
The upgrade, which included revised sidepods, engine cover, floor, diffuser, rear suspension, and rear wing, was put to the test. Norris initially described the car as "miles off" after first practice, trailing by 1.5 seconds. However, he admitted that the main time loss occurred on the straights.
"Looking at qualifying now, the guys say everything's working as expected, but when you see eight tenths to the top, it's painful," Norris said. "But at the same time, our time losses are in the straights."
Team principal Andrea Stella emphasized that the upgrade was not designed to deliver the same performance leap as the package introduced in Hungary. "The upgrades worked well. They were relatively noticeable, because they included the shape of the sidepods and also a floor. Even if they were possibly even more noticeable than what we took to Hungary, in terms of impact on performance it was a little bit less," Stella explained.
Stella also highlighted the characteristics of the Baku circuit, which do not suit the MCL40's strengths. "In a circuit like Azerbaijan, we knew it would have been on the difficult side for McLaren. One reason goes back to the speed in the straights, which is not our strength, and the other reason is related to the fact that there are no medium- or high-speed corners," he added.
Despite this, the team remains optimistic as the data measured from the upgrade shows positive results. McLaren even conducted extensive testing with flow-vis until the end of FP3, an unusual step to ensure the aerodynamics work optimally.
With a disappointing qualifying result—Piastri third and Norris fifth—McLaren must focus on the race to maximize the car's potential. This upgrade is expected to be a crucial foundation for the rest of the season, especially at circuits that better suit the car's characteristics.
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