McLaren says Barcelona GP highlights limits despite flawless weekend

Team boss Andrea Stella said McLaren’s third‑place finish with Lando Norris in Spain showed the team could not match Lewis Hamilton’s speed, regardless of strategy. He identified two key weaknesses revealed at the Barcelona circuit: insufficient mechanical and aerodynamic grip in low‑speed corners and less efficient energy recovery under the new 2026 power‑unit rules, which hampers electric boost availability.

Stella also noted that the Spanish Grand Prix was the first race of the season where McLaren completed the weekend without any reliability problems, a marked improvement after earlier outings plagued by Mercedes‑powered engine issues. Nevertheless, he warned against drawing broad conclusions from a single event, emphasizing the need for consistent reliability throughout the season and continued development to close the gap to rivals such as Ferrari.