Credits: IMAGO / ZUMA Wire
McLaren took a big gamble by bringing their first upgrade package of 2024 to Miami’s Sprint weekend instead of the Emilia Romagna GP- as originally planned. However, after witnessing the success led by Lando Norris’ race win, the team believes that they will be stronger in Imola.
Speaking to Tom Clarkson on the F1 Nation podcast, Joseph explained,
“If anything, the upgrade favors some of the traits of Imola more than it does Miami. So, everyone is very, very excited about what this could hold for the future.”
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McLaren brought 10 upgraded components on the MCL38 to Miami. This included a fully reworked front and rear suspension, and Norris made the most of these improvements. He got the entire package in Miami itself, whereas his teammate Oscar Piastri got 50% of it. Moving forward, Piastri is also expected to get more upgrades to his McLaren.
According to Joseph, the changes they brought will help them improve performance on tracks with medium to high-speed corners. Fortunately for McLaren, the historic Imola circuit fills this criteria.
Miami is filled with slow-speed corners, but still, the upgrades worked wonders. This is what makes Joseph and the rest of the Woking-based squad bullish about their chances this coming weekend.
Will McLaren be able to emulate their Miami GP success at Imola?
McLaren’s Emilia Romagna GP weekend will likely not be as straightforward as Miami. Both their rivals – Ferrari and Red Bull – will also bring upgrades to Imola, and the former has also gotten the opportunity of running those upgrades at a private test earlier this week.
On the other hand, Red Bull (still the top team on paper) expects major performance improvements. Earlier this season, Adrian Newey told Tom Clarkson that the seventh round of action would see the team field a “very different” RB20.
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The Emilia Romagna GP could turn out to be a turning point in the battle for the constructors’ championship. In Miami, McLaren showed what they had in their armory. Now, Ferrari and Red Bull are ready for their comebacks. And the three teams lock horns in a potentially exciting affair.
