McLaren’s Imola Setback: More Than Just Strategy

McLaren entered the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola hoping for another strong weekend but left frustrated after missing out on a potential victory. After showing impressive pace in both qualifying and practice, the MCL39 was picked as the favorite for the win.

Red Bull faced set-up problems early on, but Max Verstappen delivered an outstanding drive, taking first place from the opening lap with a bold move. The Dutch driver’s decisive overtake at Tamburello put him ahead and gave him control over the race, setting the tone for the rest of the Grand Prix.

Oscar Piastri started well and matched Verstappen’s pace at first, but by lap 10 his tire performance dropped. Red Bull’s lead expanded as Piastri suffered from front-right tire graining, a problem made worse by soaring track temperatures, which peaked at 45°C during the race. For more on how tire degradation affects race strategies, see this analysis from the FIA.

Between laps 3 and 9, Verstappen’s advantage over Piastri increased steadily, but it was the next phase where McLaren struggled most. McLaren’s reaction was to switch Piastri to a two-stop strategy, but that choice ultimately hurt his chances.

Imola’s long pitlane means a pit stop takes around 28 seconds, and with only one DRS zone, overtaking is tough. The strategy shift left Piastri trapped in traffic, losing time to drivers who stayed out for one-stop strategies. For a deeper look at Imola’s circuit characteristics, check out Circuit de Monaco’s official guide.

As the race unfolded, McLaren’s early high-speed advantage faded. The grip McLaren showed on Saturday had disappeared during the hotter Sunday conditions, especially in the high-energy corners.

Red Bull, on the other hand, managed their tires better, with Verstappen keeping his lap times steady. Experts pointed out that though a two-stop might work elsewhere, it’s rarely a winning strategy at circuits like Imola.

Even the brief Virtual Safety Car period following Esteban Ocon’s retirement did little to change the outcome, since Verstappen could still pit and return to the lead with minimal threat.

McLaren team boss Andrea Stella explained that their hand was forced by Piastri’s loss of pace, not by a desire to respond to Ferrari or use complex team tactics. They asked Piastri on the radio if he could continue, but the data showed his tires were beyond recovery in that stint.

Red Bull had already shown in recent races that their car struggles on worn tires, but at Imola, upgrades improved their performance. Their set-up window widened, and Verstappen made the most of clean air and smart driving to seal the win. For insights into F1 car upgrades, visit MIT’s Motorsports Engineering page.

The front-end graining that hurt McLaren played a major part. Even Mercedes reported that tire wear was more about heat balance than actual loss of tread.

Lando Norris, McLaren’s other driver, was further back in the field and not able to help with a two-versus-one strategy against Verstappen, so the team had fewer tactical options. McLaren’s performance in the first stint improved after the tires stabilized, seen with Norris as his lap times picked up in clean air, notably during qualifying sessions at Imola.

Yet, the early stint damage was done. Red Bull kept their strategy simple and effective, capitalizing on both their own tire management and McLaren’s struggles.

Looking ahead, McLaren is optimistic about circuits with slower corners, where their car tends to shine. Stella said that while Imola exposed some weaknesses, the team was strong in Miami, China, and Bahrain, as noted in McLaren’s impressive Imola dominance.

Each track presents a different challenge, with Red Bull’s RB21 more “track-dependent” and variable. The Italian race confirmed that while McLaren remains competitive, mistakes in tire management and strategy can be costly and may define critical moments this season.

With the next rounds coming soon, McLaren will aim to learn from this missed opportunity. Imola was not just about strategy or one early overtake, but a complex blend of tire management, heat, and pit stop timing. For more on F1 race strategies, refer to Wikipedia’s Formula One page.

The team hopes to find better luck—and more stable conditions—at upcoming events.