Andrea Stella says McLaren is determined to finally make “peace” with Las Vegas, a venue that has historically proven challenging for the team.
McLaren arrives in Las Vegas following a strong weekend in Sao Paulo, where Lando Norris delivered a dominant performance to secure his third win of the season and Oscar Piastri showed a clear improvement in pace.
Las Vegas, however, poses a very different challenge. The late-night Nevada circuit is known for its cold temperatures, but McLaren proved in the cold and wet conditions of Brazil that the MCL40 can manage tyre temperatures effectively.
Team principal Andrea Stella believes the team can return from the United States with a strong haul of points.
“It’s a very different circuit layout in Vegas, with long straights,” he said. “We saw this in Monza, and we have seen it in Baku: when the priority is top speed, McLaren is not necessarily the best car.
“We know that this is also linked to our gear ratios, which are not ideal when we need to exceed a certain level of top speed. But having said that, I think we approach Vegas with some optimism because the car is faster now.”
McLaren’s improvement has come from several upgrades since the summer, including a new front wing in Brazil designed to make the car more predictable. Stella confirmed that more new parts will arrive in Las Vegas.
Lando Norris, McLaren
Photo by: Alex Bierens de Haan / Getty Images
“These upgrades will be complemented by some more parts that arrive in Vegas, and they form the foundation for next year’s car,” he said.
Last year, Norris and Piastri finished second and fourth in Las Vegas, only for both cars to be disqualified for excessive wear on the skid blocks under the floor.
“We want to go there and have a good result because it’s probably, out of all the races on the calendar, the one we have struggled with the most,” he said. “And even last year, when we had a good race, we made life difficult for ourselves with the skid wear issue.
“So we are looking forward to Vegas, to getting a good result there, and finally being at peace with this venue.”
McLaren currently sits fourth in the constructors’ standings, 17 points behind Red Bull with just three races remaining. The papaya team is under pressure to score heavily under the neon lights of The Strip as it aims to finish third after a long season.