McLaren see Ferrari firmly in Monaco pole fight: 'Lando is quite right'

The SF-26 has so far established itself as one of the strongest cars on the grid from an aerodynamic and chassis perspective. However, Ferrari has paid the price for adopting a smaller turbo philosophy than its rivals, a solution that offers advantages off the line but comes at the cost of outright power and top speed on the straights - a weakness that was particularly evident in Montreal.

With Monaco offering virtually no long straights, both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton should, at least on paper, have a car capable of challenging at the very front. The streets of Monte Carlo could also represent one of Ferrari's best opportunities of the season to fight for victory.

Speaking to GPblog among others, Stella pointed to Ferrari's underlying strengths through the corners as a key reason why he expects the Italian team to be highly competitive in Monaco. The McLaren team principal noted that GPS data consistently shows Ferrari performing strongly in cornering sections, highlighting the opening sector as a particular example. According to Stella, the combination of low-speed corners and flowing sequences tends to reward the characteristics Ferrari has displayed throughout the season.

“I think when we look at the overlay based on the GPS speed, we can see that Ferrari is definitely a competitive chassis in the corners. In the first sector, for example, they have always been very competitive. It’s not only a low-speed sector, but also one with several flowing corners. Normally, those characteristics tend to be rewarded at a track like Monaco.”

He also pointed out that one of Ferrari's main weaknesses - its lack of straight-line speed compared to some rivals - is far less relevant around the streets of Monte Carlo. For that reason, Stella believes Norris is justified in viewing Ferrari as a leading contender, and potentially even the favourite, for pole position at the Monaco Grand Prix.

Leonardo Fornaroli has added further Formula 1 mileage to his growing experience after completing a two-day test with McLaren at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin. The reigning Formula 2 champion drove the team's 2023 car, the MCL60, as part of his ongoing development programme and duties as McLaren's reserve driver. Across the two days, the Italian completed 77 laps, covering a total of 425 kilometres around the Texan venue.

The outing marked Fornaroli's first experience of COTA, while also representing another important step in his integration within the McLaren environment. The 20-year-old explained that he is becoming increasingly comfortable both with the car and the team, with the Austin programme proving more demanding than his previous Formula 1 test at Silverstone.

As part of the schedule, Fornaroli also completed practice starts, helping him gain a deeper understanding of the procedures and demands involved in a Formula 1 race weekend. He credited McLaren's Driver Development Programme for its continued support as he progresses through the ranks.