McLaren Boss Tips Ferrari and Mercedes as Austrian GP Favorites

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has tempered expectations ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix, predicting that Ferrari and Mercedes will set the pace at the Red Bull Ring. Following a challenging weekend in Barcelona where Lewis Hamilton claimed victory for Ferrari, Stella believes the Austrian circuit's characteristics will expose McLaren's current limitations rather than play to its strengths.

Why it matters:

Stella's assessment signals a potential shift in the competitive order after Ferrari's recent resurgence. With Hamilton mounting a credible challenge for an eighth world title and Mercedes maintaining strong form, McLaren faces mounting pressure to keep pace in the development race.

The details:

• Stella expects Ferrari to retain an edge in cornering performance, while Mercedes' superior power unit could make it the "best car overall" over a single lap.
• The Red Bull Ring's reliance on straight-line braking and low-speed corners contrasts with Barcelona's emphasis on stability under braking, a profile that highlights the MCL40's known weaknesses.
• McLaren's struggles in slow-speed sections were already evident in Monaco, and the team lacked the raw pace to match its rivals in Spain.
• Stella confirmed McLaren will introduce upgrades in coming races, but acknowledged that Ferrari and Mercedes are unlikely to stand still.

What's next:

McLaren is prioritizing internal development over worrying about immediate results, with a sharp focus on improving tyre management for what could be another hot, high-degradation weekend. As the championship battle tightens, the team's ability to cure its slow-speed cornering deficit could prove crucial to remaining in title contention.