McLaren's Stella: Strategy and tyres - not Turn 1 - key in Spanish GP

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has played down the importance of a clean getaway at the Spanish Grand Prix, insisting that strategy and tyre management will be far more decisive than who emerges ahead out of Turn 1.

Despite locking out the front row in qualifying, the team is bracing for a tactical race that could hinge on minute details rather than raw pace off the line.

Last year, George Russell, starting from P4 – the same position he occupies this year – surged to the lead at Turn 1, exploiting the circuit’s long straight. Max Verstappen, lining up in P3 on Sunday’s grid, similarly snatched the lead from Oscar Piastri at the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix two weeks ago, cruising to victory.

McLaren Unshaken by Turn 1 Threat

The 800-meter sprint to Turn 1 in Barcelona, one of the longest on the F1 calendar, poses a clear threat to McLaren’s front-row advantage. But Stella’s focus is elsewhere, fixed on the bigger picture of tyre management and pit-stop precision.

“Especially here in Barcelona, with the level of tyre degradation that we have, I think actually the order at the end of lap one will not be that decisive,” Stella told Viaplay.

“If somebody can do a better job on tyre degradation, can go a couple of laps longer in the first stint and then maybe a couple more laps longer on the second one, then you can attack in the final.

“There’s so many ways in which you can win this race. I think it would be too much of a reduction to only think about what happens in qualifying.”

Tyre Wear to Shake Up the Race

Stella's outlook is echoed by Piastri, who also warned that the Spanish Grand Prix will be unlike many of the processional races seen earlier this season, where the driver in clean air often ran away unchallenged.

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“Trying to get a good start and keep the lead is a good idea, probably, but there’s going to be some strategy involved tomorrow,” said Piastri after qualifying.

“The long runs yesterday were pretty painful for everyone, I think. So it’s going to be a different race to a lot of the races we’ve had this year. Hopefully, a bit different to last weekend.

“I think it will be an interesting race still and it’s not as simple as take the lead at the start and cruise from there. It’s going to be a challenge to manage the tyres, timing your stops right. There’s going to be a lot going on.”

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