McLaren arrives at a circuit that targets the MCL40’s weaknesses

Andrea Stella believes Madrid, like Baku, demands precision through short corners and a clean racing line, characteristics that do not match the MCL40’s strongest areas. McLaren won in Hungary and the Netherlands thanks to its strength in long corners but managed only fourth and fifth at Monza.

Lower drag sensitivity in Madrid should help compared with Italy, but the underlying weakness remains. The updates planned for Baku are not here yet.

Norris and Piastri therefore need to avoid qualifying positions that trap them in traffic, especially with only about 200 metres from the start line to Turn 1. A strong weekend would show McLaren has broadened the car’s operating window; another dip would confirm how track-dependent its form still is.