{
  "id": 12327775,
  "title": "What was \"weird\" about McLaren's poor performance at rough Sepang",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/06/what-was-weird-about-mclarens-poor-performance-at-rough-sepang-12327775",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-06T07:20:58.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Motorsport.com",
    "slug": "motorsport-com",
    "url": "https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/what-was-weird-about-mclarens-poor-performance-at-rough-sepang/10862418/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": null,
  "summary": "McLaren's performance at the Sepang circuit was disappointing, given that the track's high downforce demands were expected to suit their car, the MCL40. The team had been confident after a difficult weekend in Baku, but struggled in Malaysia, with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri qualifying sixth and seventh, six tenths off polesitter Max Verstappen.\n\nThe team's struggles continued into the race, where an unsuccessful gamble to start on slicks on a wet track meant their highest finisher was Piastri in sixth. According to team principal Andrea Stella, the downturn in performance was puzzling, especially given the team's previous successes in Zandvoort and Madrid.\n\nStella noted that the team's performance had changed rapidly, with the team taking upgrades and being in a strong position in previous races, but failing to replicate that success in Malaysia, according to Yahoo Sports.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Yahoo Sports",
        "title": "What was \"weird\" about McLaren's poor performance at rough Sepang",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/06/what-was-weird-about-mclarens-poor-performance-at-rough-sepang",
        "published": "2026-10-06T07:20:58.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}