McLaren admits it misjudged Sepang’s wet-to-dry crossover

McLaren’s slick-tyre gamble cost both drivers time

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has acknowledged that the team made “an incorrect judgement” on the opening tyre call at Sepang, where damp conditions made the choice between slicks and intermediates difficult.

McLaren started Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris on medium slick tyres, believing the circuit’s rough surface would help bring the dry-weather tyres up to temperature quickly. Instead, the track remained better suited to intermediates for longer than expected, costing both drivers time.

Intermediates proved the right call

Piastri opted for intermediates at the end of the second formation lap, sacrificing his grid position to get onto the more suitable tyre. The slick runners struggled on the opening flying lap, and he had recovered to 10th by its end. Norris, who remained on mediums, fell to 15th as the dry tyres took longer than McLaren had forecast to work.

Stella said the decision was not a deliberate strategy split. “We thought that the dry tyres would switch on faster,” he explained, adding that the team had misjudged the point at which slicks would become quicker than intermediates. He also said Piastri was inclined to pit, while McLaren may have steered Norris away from the choice he was initially considering.

Late recovery does little to ease McLaren’s concerns

By the final Safety Car period, Piastri and Norris had moved back to seventh and eighth. George Russell’s retirement promoted Piastri, while Norris lost ground when the Safety Car queue compressed and then gained places after the restart. The race ended with Piastri sixth and Norris ninth.

Stella said McLaren would also review its car development as the competitive picture shifts. He noted that the team had been strong at several earlier events but said rivals may have made larger development gains. He cautioned against drawing firm conclusions from Sepang’s unusual conditions and said the Singapore race would offer a clearer indication of where the team stands.