Singh gives McLaren’s São Paulo upgrades a positive first assessment

McLaren sporting director Randy Singh said the first day with the team’s new aerodynamic package at Interlagos had gone well and that the parts appeared to deliver what McLaren expected.

The update covers the front wing, rear wing, beam wing and floor elements. McLaren brought it to São Paulo seeking to arrest a recent dip in form against Red Bull, Ferrari and Mercedes; updates introduced in Baku and Austin had not delivered the expected gains.

Norris topped FP1, then Kimi Antonelli went fastest in FP2, with Norris second and Oscar Piastri fifth. McLaren worked through the new parts in both sessions. Reserve driver Leonardo Fornaroli ran FP1 in Piastri’s place, using rakes to help test the package in detail.

Singh said both drivers were happier with the car’s behaviour and were competitive in the light drizzle and mist. He praised Piastri for getting on pace quickly after missing FP1. Singh hoped the upgrades had moved McLaren a small step forward compared with recent races. The field remained tight, he said, so the team needed to optimize qualifying to get a good result.