Stella admits McLaren's qualifying blunder cost Norris and Piastri a certain podium in Austin

McLaren left the Circuit of the Americas with fifth and seventh place finishes at the United States Grand Prix, a result team principal Andrea Stella described as a direct consequence of the team’s failure to convert strong race pace into meaningful grid positions on Saturday.

Despite arriving in Austin with a highly effective upgrade package, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri found themselves buried in midfield traffic from the opening lap, spending the afternoon fighting through dirty air rather than pressuring the leaders. Stella was candid in his post-race debrief about where the weekend was lost.

“A decent Sunday following a disappointing Saturday: that sums up the weekend in Austin,” Stella said. “Today’s race showed that the MCL40 is still capable of fighting for the podium, but it’s clear that our position on the starting grid made that goal virtually unattainable.”

The team principal also acknowledged the collective frustration inside the garage. “There is a shared sense of frustration across the whole team at not having fully exploited our potential during qualifying, but it is up to us to try and do better.”

For all the disappointment, the underlying data from the upgraded MCL40 offered genuine encouragement. Norris demonstrated sharp pace whenever he found clear air, while Piastri produced a composed defensive masterclass, holding off George Russell’s Mercedes for approximately thirty laps without conceding a position.

“The team and the drivers worked very well, both in terms of strategic decisions and driving on the track, and the upgrades we brought here made a positive contribution,” Stella noted. “Lando showed excellent pace, and Oscar drove a strong race, holding off Russell’s Mercedes for around thirty laps without ever giving him a chance to overtake.”

Stella also drew quiet satisfaction from the fact that the weekend passed without the kind of internal incident that overshadowed McLaren’s Singapore Grand Prix, where Norris and Piastri made contact with each other. With the constructors’ championship battle ongoing, keeping both drivers clean and scoring points — however frustrating the margin left on the table — remains a priority for the Woking outfit.