Andrea Stella Addresses Lando Norris’ Straight‑Line Speed Shortfall After Bahrain Qualifying

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has shed light on the recurring straight‑line speed deficit affecting Lando Norris’s Mercedes‑powered car, a problem that resurfaced during Bahrain GP qualifying.

While McLaren’s lower gear ratios already leave it behind other Mercedes‑powered rivals, Norris suffered an additional lack of top speed throughout the Baku weekend, a trend that has returned in Bahrain. Compared with Red Bull and Ferrari, the team was losing further time in qualifying.

Norris summed it up: “I’m slower on every straight, so even after a good exit I trail at the end of the straight. It’s frustrating to see this happen lap after lap.”

Stella explained that diagnosing the exact cause is tricky because of the current technical regulations and the many variables that can influence performance. A deployment fault would be easy to spot, but a mechanical issue hidden from sensors is far harder to isolate.

He estimates the deficit costs Norris between 0.1 and 0.2 seconds per lap – a significant margin in qualifying – equivalent to roughly one to two kilometres per hour less top speed.

“More precisely, the issue we observe on Lando’s car is a lack of straight‑line speed. In the power‑limited phase the car accelerates slightly less and reaches a marginally lower top speed, all else being equal,” Stella said.

“The gap is small – about one to two km/h – and difficult to notice directly. However, when Norris gets a slipstream from a car four seconds ahead, he suddenly appears faster than the car in front.”

Lando Norris, McLaren

Photo by: Joe Portlock / Getty Images

“These small differences add up statistically, translating into a lap‑time loss of more than a tenth of a second, possibly between one and two tenths.”

Stella added that the shortfall may stem from factors other than raw engine power. “It could be related to deployment, chassis interactions, or aerodynamic drag,” he noted.

He emphasized that the aim is not to blame Mercedes’ High Performance Powertrains but to identify whatever is causing the straight‑line loss on Norris’s car.

The data show the deficit is most pronounced in the second half of the lap, where Oscar Piastri gained extra top speed over Norris between Turns 13 and 14 and again on the back‑straight toward Turn 15.

“At the same time, aspects of the power unit that depend on chassis behaviour, as well as overall drag, could be playing a role,” Stella continued.

“We are not pointing the finger at the power unit; we are highlighting a straight‑line speed shortfall that we want to resolve because it is fair to Lando to take responsibility for the lap‑time deficit we have not yet removed over a couple of events.”

“Nevertheless, we are examining every possible parameter and will consider further changes, although any adjustments will have to wait until the Singapore round.”

Additional reporting by Filip Cleeren.

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