Stella eyes Las Vegas turnaround after Norris’s Brazil win

Andrea Stella wants McLaren to turn the page on its Las Vegas struggles at the 2026 Grand Prix. After Lando Norris’s third win of the 2026 season in São Paulo, the team principal says he approaches Las Vegas with some optimism because the car is faster now.

Stella singled out Las Vegas’s long straights. On circuits where top speed is a major requirement, he says, McLaren is not necessarily the strongest car; its gear ratios are also not ideal above a certain speed. He cited Monza and Baku as examples.

McLaren has introduced several upgrades since the summer, including a new front wing in Brazil designed to make the car more predictable. Stella says further parts will arrive in Las Vegas and that the upgrades will form the foundation of McLaren’s 2027 car.

At the 2025 Las Vegas Grand Prix, Norris and Oscar Piastri finished second and fourth, but both McLarens were disqualified for excessive wear on the skid blocks under the floor. Stella said the skid-wear problem had spoiled a good race and called Las Vegas probably the race where McLaren struggled most.

McLaren is fourth in the constructors’ standings, 17 points behind Red Bull, with three races remaining; its target is to finish third.