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Andrea Stella is not pretending the season has gone to plan so far. McLaren lost both cars before the start in China, Oscar Piastri crashed out in Melbourne, and the team has spent the first three weekends catching up rather than attacking. What Stella is confident about is that the break could not have come at a better moment.
"We Were Running at Our Limits"
The McLaren team principal was direct about the state of the team heading into the April gap. "The schedule was extremely intense and we were running at our limits. This break gives us the chance to reset everything and move forward in a more focused way." The human element is something Stella raised specifically. "The team has had an incredibly tough winter. It is important that everyone can recharge, especially with such a long season ahead."
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On the technical side, the pause opens a development window that would not normally exist this early in the year. "We can now develop parts faster that improve the car, particularly on the aerodynamic side. We also get extra time to work with Mercedes High Performance Powertrains to get the most out of the power unit."
Miami Is the Starting Point for the Real Push
Stella was clear about what success looks like from Miami onwards. "Our goal is to be fighting for the important positions after the break. We do not just want to fight for points, but for podiums and ultimately victories." He acknowledged there is still work to do but named exactly what that work is. "We know precisely where we need to improve the chassis. It comes down to bringing upgrades that increase our aerodynamic efficiency. We will be taking those steps in the coming races."
His overall confidence in the team's trajectory was genuine rather than diplomatic. "I have never seen McLaren as strong as they are now. The combination of talent, infrastructure, and collaboration within the team is better than it has ever been. The working relationship between Lando and Oscar is also at a very high level." Piastri's second place at Suzuka, coming after the difficult opening weekends, gave the team exactly the reference point they needed heading into the most important development phase of the season.
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