2023 - McLaren Formula 1 Team

[_cerber1]

[MCLvamos]

Once again poor decision making from the team in changeable weather conditions. Sochi 21, Zandvoort and now Brazil this year. More than happy to credit the team when things go right, but this seemed like another oversight in what is becoming a bit of a weakness for the team. We are well ahead of RB, Ferrari and Mercedes in the pit boxes, there is absolutely no excuse for sending our drivers out so far back in the queue. Something needs to be fixed because this cannot continue if we are to challenge a slick and mostly error-free Red Bull outfit.

Sochi 21 Lando overruled the team, that was not a pit wall error.

As far as I recall the team have made 2 strategic mistakes this season (Im sure there will be some little niggles, but cant think of anything big). Not great but not bad really. And personally I don't think that the heavy rain suggested the wind would do what it did yesterday, at least that quick.

I mean that was also partly on the team. They were never clear on the radio and didnt assertively tell him to pit like Mercedes did. "What do you think about the inter" is not really a useful question when the driver has no idea about how the forecast has developed in the last few minutes.

[mwillems]

Once again poor decision making from the team in changeable weather conditions. Sochi 21, Zandvoort and now Brazil this year. More than happy to credit the team when things go right, but this seemed like another oversight in what is becoming a bit of a weakness for the team. We are well ahead of RB, Ferrari and Mercedes in the pit boxes, there is absolutely no excuse for sending our drivers out so far back in the queue. Something needs to be fixed because this cannot continue if we are to challenge a slick and mostly error-free Red Bull outfit.

Sochi 21 Lando overruled the team, that was not a pit wall error.

As far as I recall the team have made 2 strategic mistakes this season (Im sure there will be some little niggles, but cant think of anything big). Not great but not bad really. And personally I don't think that the heavy rain suggested the wind would do what it did yesterday, at least that quick.

I mean that was also partly on the team. They were never clear on the radio and didnt assertively tell him to pit like Mercedes did. "What do you think about the inter" is not really a useful question when the driver has no idea about how the forecast has developed in the last few minutes.

Fair enough, can't say I agree as the driver is closer to the conditions and I put it down to experience at what was his 3rd season. But it was 2 seasons ago, so I don't wrap it up in the teams current incarnation, and as I say this year they'd been pretty decent on Strategy as far as I recall, but totally open to some reminders and discussion of where that wasn't the case if I'm wrong on that.

[Ben1980]

Once again poor decision making from the team in changeable weather conditions. Sochi 21, Zandvoort and now Brazil this year. More than happy to credit the team when things go right, but this seemed like another oversight in what is becoming a bit of a weakness for the team. We are well ahead of RB, Ferrari and Mercedes in the pit boxes, there is absolutely no excuse for sending our drivers out so far back in the queue. Something needs to be fixed because this cannot continue if we are to challenge a slick and mostly error-free Red Bull outfit.

Sochi 21 Lando overruled the team, that was not a pit wall error.

As far as I recall the team have made 2 strategic mistakes this season (Im sure there will be some little niggles, but cant think of anything big). Not great but not bad really. And personally I don't think that the heavy rain suggested the wind would do what it did yesterday, at least that quick.

I mean that was also partly on the team. They were never clear on the radio and didnt assertively tell him to pit like Mercedes did. "What do you think about the inter" is not really a useful question when the driver has no idea about how the forecast has developed in the last few minutes.

Not sure any of it was on Lando, if I recall. They said, whether would stay the sane until end of the race, and if it did he would likely have won. Even when lewis boxed he didn't want to, but they had used Bottas to test. Then it rained, hard. Though, when Lewis pitted, I guess the only way to win was try and hold on and hope.

[MCLvamos]

Sochi 21 Lando overruled the team, that was not a pit wall error.

As far as I recall the team have made 2 strategic mistakes this season (Im sure there will be some little niggles, but cant think of anything big). Not great but not bad really. And personally I don't think that the heavy rain suggested the wind would do what it did yesterday, at least that quick.

I mean that was also partly on the team. They were never clear on the radio and didnt assertively tell him to pit like Mercedes did. "What do you think about the inter" is not really a useful question when the driver has no idea about how the forecast has developed in the last few minutes.

Fair enough, can't say I agree as the driver is closer to the conditions and I put it down to experience at what was his 3rd season. But it was 2 seasons ago, so I don't wrap it up in the teams current incarnation, and as I say this year they'd been pretty decent on Strategy as far as I recall, but totally open to some reminders and discussion of where that wasn't the case if I'm wrong on that.

Dry strategy and pitstops have been good, it just seems like there is something is still off when it comes down to changeable conditions. I just can't think of a valid reason for going out after Ferrari (with Leclerc) Merc and Red bull when their garages are behind us in the pit lane. Yes there could have been a little bit of track improvement, but look at the clouds! We had the fastest or at worst second fastest car, should've just secured the front row by going out straight behind if not ahead of the Ams.

[_cerber1]

[geogate]

that did look like driver error - just took too much speed into the corner.
But then, a comparison with one of his earlier laps may be more revealing

[CjC]

Lando asking to ‘just box’ again WTF.
It’s qualifying… finish the damn lap!

[mwillems]

that did look like driver error - just took too much speed into the corner.
But then, a comparison with one of his earlier laps may be more revealing

I posted it on the previous page. He did brake harder and later than his fastest lap in Q2, a lap that would have got pole, it does seem like he pushed it too much at that point and after S1 he was clearly not able to get the car to go as fast as he did in Q2, so he took too big a bite on his fast lap by the looks of it, not helped by the teams call to go out late.

[ali623]

It was on Norris unfortunately, he was matching Leclerc (who was slightly ahead of him on track) in the first two sectors. Ended up going way too deep into t12 and lost at least a second in sector 3, otherwise he would have been either P2/3 comfortably.

[thestig84]

Lando asking to ‘just box’ again WTF.
It’s qualifying… finish the damn lap!

Russell asked/thought the same. They all felt terrible out there but didn't know it wasn't just them it was everyone

[CjC]

So Russell thought it would have been a good idea to pit and set a time on the intermediate tyre too?

[mwillems]

Lando asking to ‘just box’ again WTF.
It’s qualifying… finish the damn lap!

Russell asked/thought the same. They all felt terrible out there but didn't know it wasn't just them it was everyone

Yeah but you've got to set the fastest lap time you can, clearly it's not getting better.

[MCLvamos]

Looking ahead to tomorrow, our best chance of a race win (slim I know) is if Leclerc gets ahead of Max at the start. We will have to clear Hamilton and Alonso quickly and hope Stroll doesn't try and kill us. Will be tough but honestly P6 doesn't sound that bad if you think about last week . Realistically, I think P2 is more than achievable but we have to see how the Merc race pace is later today. I can't imagine Ferrari and the Astons being in the conversation.

[MCLvamos]

Also hearing murmurs from people supposedly at the track on twitter that the McLarens were further ahead in the queue but then were held up by the stewards. Any truth to this? Would excuse the situation a little.