Max Verstappen was unimpressed with the opening ceremony for Formula 1’s Las Vegas Grand Prix, remarking that he felt like “a clown” during the entire occasion.

To celebrate the inaugural round at the Las Vegas Strip Circuit, an event with live musical performances and the drivers being raised on large platforms to the crowd was held.

However, Verstappen, who previously stated that F1’s expansion into Las Vegas was “more for the show than the racing”, vented his disapproval of the ceremony.

“For me, you can skip this,” he said. “It’s not about the singers. We are just standing up there, looking like a clown. I mean, yeah.”

Asked how much he considered a show and how much of it a sporting event, Verstappen reiterated his stance that the Las Vegas GP is “99% show, and 1% sporting event.”

The three-time champion concedes he’s not enthused by the opportunity to race in Sin City for the first time in his career.

“Well I’m looking forward to trying to do the best I can, but then I’m not looking forward to this,” he mentioned in relation to the show. “You have some races where you always look forward to it a little bit more than others.”

Expanding further, Verstappen added: “Not a lot of emotions to be honest. I just always want to focus on the performance side of things, I don’t like all the things around it anyway. I know of course in some places that is part of it, but let’s just say it’s not in my interest.”

However, the Dutchman did admit that he could “understand” the sport’s continued approach towards maximising the growing interest towards F1 in the US market.

“You can look at it two ways, business side or sport side. Of course I understand their side as well. I’m voicing my opinion on the performance side of things,” he commented.

“We are not a stakeholder, so we just go with it. They decide what they do, right,” he continued. “I would do the same if I was the owner, I wouldn’t listen to the drivers. It’s my sport, I would do with it what I want if that would be the case.”

Verstappen also downplayed that his status as a household F1 name could cause the sport’s owners to consider making changes to reduce the focus on the spectacle.

“I don’t know, I guess they still make money if I like it or not, so it’s not up to me,” he contended. “But I’m also not going to fake it, I just always voice my opinion on positive things and negative things. That’s just how I am.

“Some people like the show a bit more, I don’t like it at all. I grew up just looking at the performance side of things and that’s how I see it as well. So for me, I like to be in Vegas, but not so much for racing.”

Pressed on whether he believed he could make a difference by speaking out, Verstappen retorted: “It’s also not my aim that it makes a massive difference. But when you ask me a question and I feel like I want to answer it, I’ll answer it in an honest way.”

“If someone wants to go in this direction, you want a lot more show attached to the programme, then I guess we have to deal with that,” he added. “As long as everything goes well they can say everything is working well, let’s see how long fans also like this.”

Verstappen also discussed his dissatisfaction towards the track layout, explaining that this generation of F1 cars are too cumbersome for street venues.

“I don’t think it’s that exciting, that’s the only thing,” he noted. “I think already for me a street circuit is not that exciting, especially with these new cars, they are just too heavy.

“When you have low grip that doesn’t help. The scenery will look great, driving through the strip, but the layout itself is not the most exciting. Driving an F1 car is a lot more fun with a lot of high-speed corners, but around here there is not many high-speed corners.”

Lance Stroll says drivers are “not trying to be Hollywood stars” in the wake of a mixed reception to the opening ceremony of the Las Vegas Grand Prix.

A 30-minute music show took place on the grid on Wednesday evening with the 20 drivers introduced to spectators at the culmination of the ceremony.

Stroll was also one of several drivers who opted not to attend an event at the Wynn hotel later on Wednesday evening for which F1 boss Stefano Domenicali had requested all drivers be present.

“It’s not really my thing,” said Stroll on the ceremony. “Didn’t sign up for that part of it all.

“I mean, we’re racing drivers, you know. Yeah, I think sometimes kind of… goes too much in the whole like Hollywood star side of things, you know. I just like racing cars, not trying to be a Hollywood star.

“I guess for the sport it’s great we come to places like this, we expand the American market, it’s great for the team, great for the business, Formula 1 needs to think about that.

“It’s huge, huge for the valuation of the business, sponsors, attracting more sponsorship, hopefully more American sponsorship, three races in America, but I hope we don’t just go into the kinda avenue of these kinds of races and lose the purity of Formula 1 as it’s nice to have the balance.”

Stroll also revealed that he missed Aston Martin’s track walk amid confusion over timings, mistaking 02:00 on Wednesday for 02:00 on Thursday.

“I don’t even know what time it is anymore, I’m just here, [it’s a] bit of a funny schedule,” he said.

Esapekka Lappi will continue with the team  in a part-time capacity for the 2024 FIA World Rally Championship season as it seeks to secure its third FIA WRC manufacturers’ crown.
 
In just a short time with the team, Lappi has impressed with his ability to get up to speed quickly and challenge for podium places in the Hyundai i20 N Rally1 Hybrid. The Finn was on the pace from the very first kilometre of Rally México, announcing himself as a genuine victory contender. Lappi and Ferm finished runners-up at Rally Italia Sardegna as part of a fantastic 1-2 finish for Hyundai Shell Mobis World Rally Team, and claimed a further hat-trick of third-place finishes in Croatia, Portugal and Estonia. The Finn has also been crucial in the development of the Hyundai i20 N Rally1 Hybrid throughout 2023, which will continue to be a key element of his role within the team next season.
 
The team is continuing its discussions with its current WRC and WRC2 drivers and is yet to make a final decision on its full 2024 line-up. Dani Sordo is likely to stay while talks about a fourth car for a development team are still to be confirmed.
 
Hyundai Motorsport President Sean Kim said: “When we first signed Esapekka for the 2023 season, our target was to have a strong and experienced combination of drivers to help us achieve our goals. He has demonstrated strong potential this season but there is definitely unfinished business, so we are delighted he will remain with us with the inner drive to put that right. All three of our confirmed crews are incredibly talented and know what it takes to win in WRC, underscoring the strength of our intentions.”
 
Hyundai Motorsport Team Principal Cyril Abiteboul said: “We are pleased to announce the next piece of the 2024 puzzle with Esapekka and Janne remaining with our team for the season ahead. Their role will be to support Thierry and Ott in the championship, as well as to focus on developing the car – something Esapekka has demonstrated he is particularly good at this year. We believe this is a formidable force that can help us achieve our goals and bring home more wins. We are still finalising the full picture for the season ahead, and will announce our plans in due course, but for now we are delighted to have such a strong line-up at the helm of our WRC challengers.”

 
Esapekka Lappi said: “I am very happy and grateful to continue my partnership with Hyundai Motorsport into the 2024 WRC season. I feel very comfortable in the team; we have built a fantastic connection over this past year and we have demonstrated we have the package to be successful. I still have the will to develop and succeed in rallying moving forward, and I would like to win with this team. Next year will certainly be different and interesting in many ways, which will motivate me to be a team player, as well as seek personal success, in a bid for a stronger season in 2024.”

Sphere Entertainment Co. has announced a collaboration with the Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix that will feature custom race content for the innovative Exosphere.

The 360-degree event venue, adorned with screens to broadcast visuals inside and out, will demonstrate a variety of exciting exterior visual content produced by Sphere Studios.

Along with custom Grand Prix content, partnering brands on the event will be displayed on the world’s largest LED screen.

As well as this, throughout the build-up to the event, the Sphere will display driver cards for all 20 members of the F1 grid, ensuring their likeness will loom large over Vegas.

F1 driver helmets will also be represented on the Sphere, serving as an avant-garde backdrop for passers-by, but it is understood that red and yellow graphics cannot be displayed on screen during sessions for fear drivers will assume they are red or yellow flags.

“We are looking forward to partnering with the FORMULA 1 HEINEKEN SILVER LAS VEGAS GRAND PRIX in the inaugural year both for Sphere and the Grand Prix in Las Vegas,” said Joel Fisher, Executive Vice President Marquee Events and Operations for MSG Entertainment.

“This is one of the world’s premier sporting events, and we are ready to showcase Sphere to our global audience via F1 – both in person in Las Vegas and watching around the world – demonstrating the unparalleled technological and creative capabilities of the Exosphere.”

“Sphere’s Exosphere doesn’t just complement the Las Vegas Strip Circuit, it elevates it to new heights, turning every lap into a mesmerizing experience for fans in attendance and watching on TV globally,” said Emily Prazer, Chief Commercial Officer for Las Vegas Grand Prix, Inc.

“Picture real-time pole positions, thrilling podium celebrations, and a dynamic showcase of all 20 drivers and their iconic cars displayed larger-than-life. We are excited to have Sphere at the heart of race weekend.”

The Sphere will be one of many unique aspects of the Las Vegas GP. The race marks the first time the venue shall be used as part of a live event broadcast.

F1 is also breaking new ground along with Spher entertainment in the heart of Nevada.

The Grand Prix marks the first time that F1 is acting as a promoter of a race event and will be the first time F1 cars race down the iconic strip.

As part of the build-up required to put on the event, F1 has spent over $200 million to build the pit and paddock complex.

The inaugural Las Vegas GP marks the sport’s return to the city since the second of two ill-fated Caesars Palace Grands Prix in 1982 and lights out shall commence at 10pm local time on Saturday November 18.

Maximilian Günther and Maserati MSG Racing are “ready for the fight” in Formula E season 10, with the grand hope being that they can continue their “great turnaround” which started mid-season nine.

Günther heads into the sport’s centurion campaign on the back of quite a remarkable season, which saw his year come to life in Berlin in some style. Günther and Maserati won’t hide the fact that season nine didn’t start as expected, to the extent that the driver admits the team were “nowhere”.

After topping almost every session in testing ahead of the first Gen3 season, Günther and the Monte-Carlo-based squad endured about 10 years’ worth of bad luck in the space of a few races. Maserati massively struggled for pace in Mexico City, before Günther was unable to start the opening race in Diriyah following a heavy crash in qualifying.

He started to show strong pace in Hyderabad, before he was robbed of a potential podium after being caught up in Sam Bird taking out Mitch Evans. Günther was fighting for a podium again in Cape Town, where he unfortunately clipped a wall which led to an unfortunate retirement. São Paulo was then another event not to write home about.

After São Paulo, it almost seemed like the sooner the season finished the better for Günther and Maserati, as they just couldn’t escape what was becoming an endless rut of bad luck. However, as mentioned, this all changed in Berlin.

Berlin saw Günther not only score his first points of the season but also marked his first podium of 2023, thanks to a last corner overtake on Sébastian Buemi. It also represented Maserati’s first top-three in Formula E. With the exception of Monaco, everything Günther touched just seemed to turn to gold from his home race onwards, most notably, in Jakarta.

Günther topped every single session in the Jakarta double-header bar one, the opening race. Two pole positions, a third-place finish and a race win saw him crowned the ‘King of Jakarta’, and rightly so. In a hugely symbolic moment, his Jakarta win marked Maserati’s first in single-seater racing since 1952.

Things only got better for the Italian manufacturer in Rome, where Günther secured his fourth rostrum of the year at Maserati’s home event. He ended the season seventh in the Drivers’ Championship, an unbelievable achievement given that he failed to score a point in the opening six rounds.

Maserati’s big hope was to continue their upward trajectory in Valencia three weeks ago in testing, something which they certainly did. Günther set the fifth-quickest lap during the week of testing and completed a healthy 245 laps, gathering the team substantial data.

Reflecting on the test, Günther is “really pleased” with how it went and, most importantly, how the team’s package “feels better compared to last season”.

“Yeah, I think really pleased, actually,” Günther told Motorsport Week.

“I think our approach to Valencia has been really good because in the end, we went there with our programme. We wanted to learn as much as we can for the race season. And I really feel our package feels better compared to last year.

“We made good steps. We will see if it was enough. We will see this in Mexico and in the first races. But I really feel we addressed the good things after season nine to step up our level. And, yeah, as I said, I felt good in the car.

“In Valencia, the focus was clearly not on lap times and still we were quite decent over the whole week. So that’s still a good sign, even though you focus on other things. So, yeah, I think me, the whole team, everybody was happy with how the week went.”

As Maserati discovered last season, being quick in testing doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be at the top when racing gets underway. In fact, the Italians arguably know this better than anyone else in the paddock, because of how season nine started for them.

In many ways, this could work hugely in their favour, as they’ve learnt to take things one step at a time. There is a real buzz amongst the team and a genuine sense of belief that season 10 could be “even stronger” than how they ended season nine, with Günther having stressed that himself and the entire team “trust each other blindly”.

The 26-year-old even admitted that the recent test ahead of season 10 was more productive than the test ahead of season nine where, as mentioned, Günther was fastest in almost every session.

“I definitely think, yes, because obviously you mentioned season nine. The test was very good and we felt it was a good test, but then we went to the first few races and we were absolutely nowhere,” admitted Günther.

“So, it was a big struggle to start the season with, but then, obviously, we made this great turnaround of our season and we learned a lot. And, yeah, I think with our package, it already came together very nicely in season nine.

“As I mentioned to you, the goal is to make it even stronger in season 10. So that’s why yes, definitely, I think the test was better in season 10. As I said, the goal was not to be necessarily the fastest, but to learn as much as we can.

“And the feeling in the car was really good. It’s now one year that I’m working with the team, with my engineers, with everybody, and it’s just a nice group and we trust each other blindly. The communication is spot on.

“There are so many details that, obviously, in an operation they need to fit perfectly if you want to fight at the very top, and I really feel where we want to be.”

Even during the difficult opening rounds of season nine, Günther possessed excellent pace at times. Despite having not scored points last year until almost the halfway point, he still ended the 2023 campaign on the same number of podiums as Pascal Wehrlein, who led the Drivers’ Championship for three months.

If Günther and Maserati hadn’t endured their disappointing start to 2023, then who knows where the German would’ve finished in the standings, given that, from Berlin onwards, he was regularly battling the Porsches and the Jaguars.

Should the Oberstdorf-born driver start season 10 how he performed in the second half of season nine, then there really is every chance that Günther could be an underdog for the title.

Fighting for the championship and battling the leading teams is “exactly” what Maserati and Günther are working towards, with his ultimate goal being to get amongst the title fight.

He’s certain that Maserati are in a “much better place” compared to 12 months ago and that, crucially, himself and the team “are ready for the fight” to perhaps shock the Formula E world.

“For sure, we are working for exactly this,” Günther agreed. “I mean, at the end, I said in the past, my goal is to fight for championships in Formula E and I feel now this year we’re in a much better place compared to one year ago.

“And I’m still young, actually, I think still one of the younger guys on the grid, but as well, I have a lot of experience in Formula E. I think it’s a good combination and yeah, we are ready for the fight for sure.”

Andretti Formula E announced on Wednesday afternoon that Formula 2 star Zane Maloney would be their reserve and development driver in season 10, continuing their new relationship together.

Maloney has been fielded by Andretti three times this year alone, with him having driven for the team in the rookie tests in Berlin and Rome. He also completed a session for the outfit recently during pre-season testing in Valencia.

His new role with the American team will see him attend various races throughout Formula E’s centurion campaign, whilst he’ll also complete significant work in the simulator. The Red Bull Junior driver is also still eligible to participate in the Berlin rookie test next year, with him being a realistic option for Andretti.

The Barbadian will work closely with reigning World Champion Jake Dennis and Andretti’s new signing, Norman Nato, to ensure that the team are exploiting the most from their package at each E-Prix, starting in Mexico City next January.

He’s thrilled to have been offered the role and is “grateful for the trust” Andretti has given him, with him now being “determined to support” both drivers.

“Joining Andretti Formula E as the official reserve and development driver is an incredible opportunity,” said Maloney.

“I’m grateful for the trust the team has placed in my abilities, and I’m determined to support Jake and Norman as best I can. The Andretti name has such a rich history in motorsport, so it’s a pretty surreal moment for me in my career. I’m looking forward to contributing to the team’s continued success in Season 10.”

Maloney is a real talent and was even linked to a full-time seat at Andretti ahead of Nato making the switch from the Nissan Formula E Team. 2023 has seen him compete in his maiden F2 season for Rodin Carlin, following on from becoming the Formula 3 Vice-Champion in 2022 for Trident.

The 20-year-old is already an F2 podium-finisher and has actually made four appearances on the rostrum this year. With two races remaining in Abu Dhabi, Maloney sits 10th in the Drivers’ Championship.

Andretti Team Principal Roger Griffiths is “delighted” to have Maloney onboard for season 10, with him admitting that the young driver’s “dedication, talent and enthusiasm” during the rookie tests in particular “really stood out to us”.

“We’ve had the pleasure of working closely with Zane, and his dedication, talent and enthusiasm really stood out to us,” said Griffiths.

“Not only has he proven himself in other racing series, but also on multiple occasions during the rookie sessions where he demonstrated an excellent understanding of our GEN3 car. We are delighted to have Zane join us as our Reserve and Development Driver and look forward to working closely with him throughout the coming season.”

Formula 1 will make history this weekend when the sport takes over the Las Vegas Strip for a maiden night race in the city, 41 years after it last played host to the championship.

In amongst the festivities of the event, the weekend is an objective step into the unknown for teams who will need to battle an off-set weekend schedule and ambient temperatures of around 10 degrees Celsius when the Strip is cast under moonlight.

While Las Vegas twice played host to the premier open-wheel series in 1981 and 1982, a return to Sin City some four decades later presents further jeopardy for teams in that there is no historic data to guide preparation before turning their maiden laps of the brand new, 6.2km long street circuit.

While drivers will have been able to take to their respective simulators at home and at their team’s factories, they will still effectively be working from scratch before a first foray onto the temporary street circuit for the first time on Thursday evening.

A congested 2023 calendar, which sees the final five rounds take place over the course of six weeks, has presented a further logistical challenge to drivers heading into the penultimate round of the year.

“There’s still a lot to do. I still need to go on the simulator. I still don’t even know the track, to be honest,” admitted three-time champion Max Verstappen in the post-Sao Paulo Grand Prix press conference.

“So, the last time I tried it on the F1 game, I think I hit more walls than I was going straight. So, let’s hope that’s not the case when I start driving there!

“It’s going to be very different to here [Interlagos]: very low temperatures, of course in the night there. Street circuit. We have no experience there. We don’t know the track grip. All new. So maybe it will give you a few surprises. I don’t know.”

“I’ve done my simulator session [for Las Vegas] already,” Carlos Sainz said in Austin last month. “Must have been 50 or 60 laps, which is normally what I like to do when it’s a new track.

“I think the big thing there, as you said, will be the temperature and how the tyres behave in those temperatures. Given the track layout – very long straights – a tyre will cool down on those straights.

“Then, getting into a corner on a very low downforce setting, like we’re expecting in Vegas, on a cold tyre, on a new surface, I think there could be many variables for tyres and temperatures in general to be a big talking point that weekend.

“You can be as prepared as you want, but until you see what happens on the car, you cannot react,” the Spaniard warned.

Haas driver Nico Hulkenberg also stressed the importance of this weekend’s FP1 session in getting up to speed at the Las Vegas street circuit.

“No driver will have had extensive preparation for this one, so practice is going to be important,” contributed the German.

“I don’t normally do a track walk, so let’s see if I do one here, could be a unique way of seeing all the sights of the Vegas strip.”

With very little to go by in terms of real data, teams will also be plunged into the unknown in Las Vegas.

“Apart from the uniqueness of the city itself, I consider the layout to be a mixture of tracks like Baku, Miami and Jeddah,” shared Ferrari’s senior driving simulator engineer, Erik van der Veen.

“There are very long straights which are not always straight and not so many corners, which pushes the car in the direction of minimizing drag and therefore running lower downforce.”

The Las Vegas Grand Prix is expected to be one of F1’s coldest races with temperatures forecast to drop below 10 degrees at night. This means that getting the tyres into the right window could prove critical in the battle for pole on Saturday morning when trying to strike a balance through the high-energy corners at the risk of graining.

“Racing in a place as unique as Las Vegas at night, with winter approaching, will produce conditions we do not usually encounter during the season,” Van der Veen continued.

“The expected temperatures are far below the window in which we usually race which means it is very difficult to know what to expect, even more so because it is a brand new circuit on which we have never raced before.

“Fortunately, over the past few years there has been a lot of development in the models of both the car and the tyres which give us a better idea of what to expect in these conditions.

“Nonetheless we have to consider a wider range of conditions than usual to make sure we are as ready as we can be and, more importantly, be ready to react to anything that happens.”

As for how best to generate and maintain tyre heat and grip, that will be another unknown for teams until cars hit the track for the first time.

“As the sessions are held at night, the track and air will both be cold. This will affect the car setup in terms of PU and brake cooling but, more significantly, is expected to alter the tyre behaviour,” said Williams’ head of vehicle performance Dave Robson.

“We expect that generating temperature in the tyre without damaging the tyre surface will be key to generating good grip. Exactly how best to achieve this will depend on the new track surface and how it has aged since it was laid.

“The unknowns of a new track, unusually cold conditions and the complexity of running through the night will act to level the playing field and give every team an opportunity to outperform their underlying cars,” added an optimistic Robson.

“We are under no illusion that this will be a tricky test for the whole team and the drivers and whilst we will not be complacent, we know that we can be agile and effective in these circumstances.

“This weekend is a good opportunity to stretch our gap to AlphaTauri in the Constructors’ Championship and we will take every chance to do just that.”

The Las Vegas Grand Prix makes its return to the Formula 1 calendar this year with an all-new track taking in ‘The Strip’ for the first time ever. Preparations are well underway ahead of practice on Thursday.

Pirelli Motorsport boss Mario Isola said that “the target is not a secret” regarding a smaller, lighter tyre construction for the 2026 Formula 1 season.

A key target of the incoming regulation overhaul for 2026 is to reduce the size and mass – or at least limit it – of the cars on the F1 grid, in a push to improve racing.

Wide-body regulations in 2017, coupled with ground effect regulations of 2022 and 18-inch tyres have all contributed to an F1 car’s minimum weight of 798kg.

Pirelli – the sole F1 tyre supplier through to 2027 with an option of a further year – seeks to mitigate this weight increase by investigating a smaller tyre construction.

“In 2026, we have a completely new car, probably a new tyre size,” Isola told select media. “Smaller, lighter tyres, it’s possible.

“It’s not defined yet, but the target is not a secret: that is to design lighter cars, more agile cars and tyres are a part of the weight of the car.

“So, it can be that we have to supply smaller tyres.

“If we have to supply smaller tyres as we did in the past, we will change again in 2026.

“It’s part of our agreement with Formula 1 to follow the request of the stakeholders to design a tyre that is always in line with the target defined by all the stakeholders.”

Size is one of the only routes left at Pirelli’s disposal to reduce the weight of the tyres, with the Italian brand already utilising weight-saving technology in its current construction of F1 rubber.

“The elements in the construction, we are already using materials that are high technology materials that are very light,” Isola added.

“So, our research and development on new materials – we have a dedicated department for reinforced materials and compounds – are always looking at improving the resistance of the material, keeping the weight as low as possible.”

With Pirelli’s thinking caps on looking ahead to 2026 and the target of reducing weight, F1 fans could see the promise of more nimble and agile cars overall in the near future.

Whilst the 2022 ground effect regulations were designed to improve racing, the size and mass of the current generation of cars limit drivers’ ability to go wheel-to-wheel.

In 2023, cars are approximately 5.63m in length, 2m wide and 95cm tall – combined with the aforementioned minimum weight limit of 798kg without the driver.

This has caused not only Pirelli to rethink its strategy for 2026, but also F1 to look for shorter, narrower and lighter cars altogether.

McLaren Team Principal Andrea Stella insists that it is not only searching for aerodynamic improvements from its 2024 Formula 1 car to catch Red Bull.

Since introducing a sizeable upgrade in Singapore, McLaren has registered five podiums in the past six races to emerge as Red Bull’s most consistent contender.

Despite Oscar Piastri pipping Max Verstappen to victory in the Qatar Sprint race, the Woking-based squad have been unable to land a breakthrough grand prix win.

Lando Norris challenged Verstappen through the opening stages in Brazil, but the Dutchman was eventually able to ease away to comfortably triumph over the McLaren.

That prompted Stella to admit that McLaren’s biggest deficit to Red Bull now stood on the tyre management side as the reigning champions could rely on better degradation.

But amid the team’s progress on its 2024 challenger, Stella asserts McLaren must make progress in areas unrelated to outright downforce to become a match to Red Bull.

“We have set some targets, let’s say, but I can’t say in which area and how,” the Italian revealed to Autosport. “But what I can say is that it’s not only aero.”

When asked to address how much of its tyre degradation concerns could be attributed to the aerodynamics and then the mechanical side, Stella replied: “It’s a combination of both. I can’t say much more than that.” 

Having already opted to change concepts mid-season, both Ferrari and Mercedes have expressed that they will opt to pursue all-new philosophies with their 2024 car designs.

But with McLaren’s upgrades this year constantly delivering the expected gains from the factory, Stella believes the side is in a strong place heading into next season.

“In fairness, where you are with next year’s car partly depends on where you are this year, because that’s the starting point pretty much for everyone,” he explained.

“But it depends on the gradient of development. This gradient [at McLaren] started in July, pretty much, and there is such a long period which is just about the work you do on next year’s car.”

Having begun the year conceding it had missed development targets with the MCL60, McLaren struggled immensely before launching a heavily revised car in July.

Stella has expanded upon the challenge the team has encountered throughout the campaign with introducing parts that didn’t align with its initial launch-spec concept.

“The car we launched in March, there are some elements that have been developed with continuity, but most of it has been developed in discontinuity,” he said. 

“Especially when it came to the floor, bodywork, rear wing, and to some extent the front wing. 

“We just needed to kind of go into different concepts and start to get them to work. It wasn’t just a linear iterative development of the starting concept of the launch car.”