Andrea Stella: Mercedes boss Toto Wolff exaggerated McLaren update's gains

Andrea Stella has refuted claims made by Mercedes' Toto Wolff that McLaren's recent major upgrades have resulted in a one-second improvement per lap.

During the Austrian and British Grands Prix, McLaren introduced the first two phases of a crucial three-step update, involving significant changes to nearly every aerodynamic component on their car.

Although the final stage, initially planned for the Hungarian GP, faced delays due to design and production issues, Lando Norris managed to secure second place in the last two races, with Max Verstappen dominating as the winner.

Toto Wolff, the team principal of the eight-time constructors' championship-winning Mercedes team, believed that McLaren's performance gain allowed them to outpace his own team by one second per lap.

"You can see how McLaren has leapfrogged everybody else with an update - they didn't expect to come in that powerful.

"Whatever it was, they gained a second probably. And they leapfrogged Aston Martin and Ferrari, who we've seen as really strong contenders at the beginning of the season, and now they're nowhere."

While Andrea Stella did not disclose the exact lap time improvement from the MCL60 revisions, he expressed his belief that Wolff's statement exaggerated the actual gains achieved.

"In fairness, we haven't done a proper numerical estimate," said Stella.

"We had our own internal estimate based on what we saw in the aerodynamic maps. And then you simulate these and this gives you a number, which I cannot share really, but it wasn't one second.

"So, I think, somehow the behaviour of your car and the development of your car kind of helps with tyres at the same time.

"This gives you further lap time benefit."