McLaren raised the bar in Barcelona, says Stella

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has indicated that the team made significant strides in reliability following the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix, a crucial factor in Lando Norris securing a podium finish. Despite overcoming recent reliability issues that impacted practice and races in Monaco and Canada, Stella stressed that continuous improvement is necessary.

Norris qualified fourth and maintained his position to finish third after the retirement of Kimi Antonelli, marking a return to form for the team. Stella highlighted the clean weekend from a reliability standpoint as a positive, stating, "We have definitely raised the bar, the level of attention, and used situations we had in the previous races to reset and increase the standards in the way we do things."

Looking ahead, Stella acknowledged that while McLaren is competitive with Mercedes, Ferrari's recent upgrades have positioned them as the team to beat. He identified areas for improvement, particularly in medium and low-speed corners, and the need to enhance aerodynamic performance and tyre management. "Definitely there's more to do with the car performance," Stella concluded.

With both Norris and Oscar Piastri finishing in the points, McLaren solidified their third position in the constructors' standings. The team now focuses on its development agenda, aiming to improve aerodynamic grip and tyre exploitation ahead of the upcoming Austrian Grand Prix.