McLaren Shows Progress at Suzuka but Stella Admits Ferrari Remains Step Ahead

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has expressed cautious optimism about his team's progress at the Japanese Grand Prix while acknowledging that Ferrari maintains a crucial performance advantage that could prove decisive in Sunday's race at Suzuka.

After enduring a disastrous start to the 2026 season that resulted in only one grand prix start from Lando Norris at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix, McLaren has demonstrated encouraging signs of recovery at one of Formula 1's most demanding circuits.

Oscar Piastri, who is yet to start a grand prix in 2026, delivered an impressive qualifying performance by securing third position on the grid. Norris complemented his teammate's effort by claiming fifth place, providing McLaren with their best combined qualifying result of the early season.

Stella attributed the improved performance to systematic optimization of both chassis setup and power unit efficiency. "There are some indications of progress from a performance and overall competitiveness point of view," the Italian told Sky Sports F1. "I think this progress comes from the fact we are getting a little bit more out of the chassis and set-up, but mostly we are getting more out of the power unit."

The team principal emphasized the complexity of mastering the current generation of Mercedes power units, explaining how McLaren has gradually developed better understanding through collaboration with their HPP engineers. "We have always talked about how difficult it is with this new generation of power unit to exploit but we are getting more familiar with it, calibrating better with our HPP engineers and this is rewarded by cashing in some lap time."

Despite the qualifying improvements, Stella maintained realistic expectations about McLaren's ability to challenge Ferrari for podium positions during Sunday's race. Ferrari's Charles Leclerc will start from fourth position, with Lewis Hamilton alongside him in sixth, positioning both drivers strategically within striking distance of the podium places.

"Having said that, it's positive in qualifying we are there with Ferrari but they are still one step ahead," Stella admitted, acknowledging the performance gap that remains between the teams despite McLaren's recent progress.

Stella's assessment became more pointed when discussing race pace prospects, where Ferrari has historically shown stronger relative performance compared to their qualifying speed. "Ferrari have shown they gained some relative pace in the race. I would be positively surprised that we are in condition to compete with Ferrari for podiums."

However, the team principal refused to completely dismiss McLaren's podium chances, citing the unpredictable nature of Formula 1 racing and the potential for strategic opportunities to emerge during the 53-lap contest. "We have seen progress this weekend, so definitely we will be there. It's also racing, anything can happen. We will have a go at the podium but we know we need to improve the car, and, above all, bring some upgrades."

The mention of upcoming upgrades provides insight into McLaren's development strategy for the remainder of the season. Stella indicated that significant aerodynamic and mechanical improvements are planned for future races, potentially providing the additional performance needed to consistently challenge Ferrari and other front-running teams.

"That's the plan for the following race. Then, we can more steadily fight for the podium, and hopefully later in the season, the victory," Stella explained, outlining McLaren's ambitious but measured approach to championship contention.

The team's cautious optimism reflects the reality of Formula 1 development, where marginal gains must be carefully balanced against reliable performance. McLaren's early-season struggles highlighted the importance of thorough preparation and systematic improvement rather than dramatic overnight transformations.

Sunday's Japanese Grand Prix will provide crucial evidence of whether McLaren's Suzuka progress represents genuine improvement or circuit-specific performance. The team's ability to translate qualifying pace into race results against Ferrari's proven race-day strength will determine if their optimism proves justified.