McLaren’s Andrea Stella Sounds Alarm: Ferrari Holds the Edge in Race Pace at Zandvoort
McLaren’s team principal Andrea Stella has issued a stark warning ahead of the Dutch Grand Prix, conceding that Ferrari may possess the superior race pace despite their disappointing grid positions.
Ferrari’s SF-26 machines, piloted by Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc, will start from the third row, occupying fifth and sixth places respectively, a scenario that Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur labelled as “disappointing” given the overtaking challenges at Zandvoort.
The Scuderia’s hope lies in their new floor update, which appears to yield stronger performance over long runs rather than outright qualifying speed. Stella acknowledged this advantage candidly, stating, “I think Ferrari’s long-run times in FP1 were the best. And probably in the Sprint, Leclerc had the best pace. I’m not sure if that’s due to their choice of soft tyres or if Ferrari simply has the fastest car in race trim.” His assessment underlines Ferrari’s potential to leverage this strength during the race, despite their compromised starting positions.
While McLaren has shown promising signs recently – including a pole position at Zandvoort and a strong Hungarian GP weekend that would have resulted in a double victory without Oscar Piastri’s technical issue – Stella remains cautious. He highlighted ongoing challenges with tyre degradation and management, crucial factors on Zandvoort’s demanding surface. “Although we’re very competitive in qualifying, the Sprint showed there is still work to do regarding tyre degradation and conditions,” Stella explained. He added, “The upgrade introduced in Hungary was expected to benefit high-speed sections, and it’s even outperforming expectations here in qualifying through turns 7 and 8. However, the low-speed deficit remains and on this track, qualifying advantage is partly due to new soft tyres. In the race, you cannot rely on tyre grip alone; aerodynamics will be decisive.”
Track position is paramount at Zandvoort, where the pole-sitter has won every race since the circuit’s return to the calendar. Stella is hopeful McLaren can break through and secure consecutive victories, stating, “We hope that the 2026 edition won’t be an exception and that McLaren can win two grands prix in a row.”
Stella’s candid remarks underline a pivotal challenge for McLaren: converting qualifying speed into sustainable race performance amid Ferrari’s looming threat. The Dutch Grand Prix promises to be a critical test of strategy, tyre management, and aerodynamic efficiency in one of the season’s most technically demanding circuits.