McLaren finds itself in a tricky situation as it contemplates floor upgrades for its dominant MCL38 Formula 1 car. The team, currently leading the constructors’ championship, showed remarkable form at the Singapore Grand Prix, with Lando Norris cruising to victory, unchallenged by even Max Verstappen.

This success has come from McLaren’s cautious approach, sticking to a floor design first introduced in Miami. It’s a stark contrast to rivals like Red Bull, Ferrari, Mercedes, and Aston Martin, who have experimented with upgraded floor designs but struggled with balance issues. However, McLaren’s package, particularly effective on high-downforce circuits like Singapore, may not be the magic bullet for the rest of the season.

Andrea Stella, McLaren’s team boss, acknowledges the dilemma. As many of its closest competitors prepare to unleash new updates at the upcoming United States Grand Prix, McLaren faces the risk of losing ground if it doesn’t innovate. The team has been working on a development step back at the factory but is hesitant to commit to racing it before confirming its effectiveness.

Stella admits that after the race, he had concerns about whether to push for upgrades or stick with the current setup. "In fairness, that was one of my thoughts after the race,” Stella said. “We do have some stuff in the pipeline, and obviously, when you have this kind of performance on track, you may approach things cautiously in terms of development. But at the same time, we need to trust the process.”

He added that McLaren’s rivals are not far behind, and any significant upgrade from them could quickly shift the competitive landscape. “In Formula 1, I'm not sure you can back off too much, because backing off means that the others may catch up,” Stella explained. "We don't know what the plans of the others are."

Rob Marshall, McLaren’s chief designer, outlined the team’s approach to upgrades, focusing on delivering significant advancements rather than smaller, incremental changes. “It’s about chasing downforce all the time,” Marshall said. "We kind of like to gather the chunks up and deliver it in a big hit."

Marshall emphasized the importance of ensuring that upgrades work cohesively. Delivering multiple parts together after thorough development helps ensure their effectiveness as a package. Introducing updates piecemeal risks compromising future improvements, a strategy McLaren is keen to avoid.

The team’s current advantage in the constructors' standings is clear, but with major upgrades expected from rivals in the coming races, McLaren faces a critical decision—stick with what works or push for more. It’s a fine balance between maintaining dominance and risking the performance gains they’ve carefully built up so far this season.