Andrea Stella privately expected Oscar Piastri to be ‘five seconds’ faster after Sepang simulations

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella expected significantly faster lap times at Sepang, with the team finding themselves five seconds slower than their qualifying simulations suggested. According to David Coulthard on the Up To Speed podcast, Stella privately noted during a briefing that the circuit was five seconds slower than expected due to its rough track surface, failing to match the benchmark lap times set during Formula 1's previous visit in 2017.

McLaren endured a difficult race weekend in Malaysia, with Oscar Piastri finishing sixth and Lando Norris placing ninth. The team continues to question the overall pace and potential of the MCL40 following back-to-back struggles in Baku and Sepang, while also attempting to identify an unresolved technical issue affecting Norris's car.