McLaren breathes a sigh of relief as Mercedes dominated the Grand Prix in Las Vegas, preventing Ferrari from gaining significant points in the constructors’ championship. This is of great importance to McLaren in the final phase of the season.
McLaren’s Struggles in Las Vegas
Over the weekend in Las Vegas, McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri struggled to find the right speed with their MCL38 cars. McLaren finished the race as the fourth fastest team. Had Ferrari won the race, McLaren’s lead in the constructors’ championship would have been significantly reduced. However, with Mercedes securing a 1-2 victory, Ferrari only managed to finish in third and fourth place. This means that Ferrari only gained 12 points, leaving the gap between McLaren and Ferrari at 24 points ahead of the final two races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi.
Andrea Stella Thanks Mercedes
McLaren team boss Andrea Stella expressed his disappointment over the reduced lead, but at the same time acknowledged that Mercedes’ dominance has saved the team. “It’s disappointing that our championship lead has been reduced by 12 points. But considering the difficulties we faced this weekend, we really have to thank Lewis Hamilton for their strong performance,” said Stella. “Otherwise, Ferrari would have posed a much greater threat to our position in the constructors’ championship.”
Outlook on the Final Races
McLaren hopes that the circuits in Qatar and Abu Dhabi will better suit the characteristics of their car. Stella is cautious and emphasizes that the competitiveness of the top teams this year means that nothing is taken for granted. “The circuits in Qatar and Abu Dhabi should better suit the way we’ve designed our car,” he explained. “But at the same time, we need to be cautious, as the level of the top teams this year is unprecedented. We shouldn’t think that securing the championship will be an easy task,” Stella added.
