2024 Mclaren Formula 1 Team

[FittingMechanics]

This all sounds very promising. Gradient of development McLaren showed in second part of the season was incredible so if they can keep improving at that rate, that would be amazing.

Quite surprised to see them so positive.

[Ground Effect]

As a fan, not just a McLaren fan, I would prefer if the top talent on the grid are spread across the top teams. It's better for the sport of McLaren ups their game and put together a front running car Having drivers battle it out in different teams is way more exciting.

[mwillems]

Norris on why Family is more important than the quickest car. Also talks about the unfinished story of ups and downs with Mclaren.

https://racingnews365.com/mclaren-norri ... -champions

[AR3-GP]

Norris on why Family is more important than the quickest car. Also talks about the unfinished story of ups and downs with Mclaren.

https://racingnews365.com/mclaren-norri ... -champions

Now let's do this again but this time offer him the seat alongside Perez

[mwillems]

Norris on why Family is more important than the quickest car. Also talks about the unfinished story of ups and downs with Mclaren.

https://racingnews365.com/mclaren-norri ... -champions

Now let's do this again but this time offer him the seat alongside Perez

I'm sure it'd be more enticing and im sure thered be a circumstance that he would leave Mclaren for, but that isn't the lay of the land today

That's why I was saying I think his contract will have get out clauses. But the time is not yet right.

For now he's a Mclaren boy and personally I am in no doubt of his affection for Mclaren or its story. And in no doubt it will only go so far in the absence of titles.

[taperoo2k]

Norris doesn't have to be a "seer" (I think you mean oracle )

It's a perfectly cromulent word, thanks! I checked the dictionary and everything.

I'm not sure even Red Bull themselves are confident they will be winning races in 2026. It would seem an act of great hubris for any Grand Prix team to think they will be winning under such a radically new set of regulations.

All they can do is built the best car they can, like Red Bull did in 2022, surely? Their best guess of what the regulations require? The same as for McLaren F1 Team?

McLaren's ability to correct course and now have a car that is truly competitive under the 2022- regulation set is truly impressive.

McLaren have been methodically working their way back up to the top. They have the tools in place and personal to cope with the 2026 regulation changes. Signing a new deal with Mercedes for PU's is a no brainer for McLaren (Brown was being diligent checking out Red Bull PU's). Sure, Red Bull have poached people from Mercedes HPP etc, but the boss of Mercedes HPP is relishing the challenge of the '26 PU regulations. All we've heard from Red Bull is extremely negative comments from Max about the Red Bull PU in the simulator.

Lando might look like a genius in 2026 if McLaren get the aero side of the regulations bang on and Mercedes HPP produces a great PU, while Red Bull is left in the dust with a not so good PU that needs work. But we shall see. I'm looking forward to how the PU's shake out in '26 given the range of manufacturers designing and building PU's for 2026 and beyond.

[AR3-GP]

Norris on why Family is more important than the quickest car. Also talks about the unfinished story of ups and downs with Mclaren.

https://racingnews365.com/mclaren-norri ... -champions

Now let's do this again but this time offer him the seat alongside Perez

I'm sure it'd be more enticing and im sure thered be a circumstance that he would leave Mclaren for, but that isn't the lay of the land today

That's why I was saying I think his contract will have get out clauses. But the time is not yet right.

For now he's a Mclaren boy and personally I am in no doubt of his affection for Mclaren or its story. And in no doubt it will only go so far in the absence of titles.

That is fair. Hamilton was a Mclaren man until it proved untenable.

[CjC]

Norris doesn't have to be a "seer" (I think you mean oracle )

It's a perfectly cromulent word, thanks! I checked the dictionary and everything.

I'm not sure even Red Bull themselves are confident they will be winning races in 2026. It would seem an act of great hubris for any Grand Prix team to think they will be winning under such a radically new set of regulations.

All they can do is built the best car they can, like Red Bull did in 2022, surely? Their best guess of what the regulations require? The same as for McLaren F1 Team?

McLaren's ability to correct course and now have a car that is truly competitive under the 2022- regulation set is truly impressive.

McLaren have been methodically working their way back up to the top. They have the tools in place and personal to cope with the 2026 regulation changes. Signing a new deal with Mercedes for PU's is a no brainer for McLaren (Brown was being diligent checking out Red Bull PU's). Sure, Red Bull have poached people from Mercedes HPP etc, but the boss of Mercedes HPP is relishing the challenge of the '26 PU regulations. All we've heard from Red Bull is extremely negative comments from Max about the Red Bull PU in the simulator.

Lando might look like a genius in 2026 if McLaren get the aero side of the regulations bang on and Mercedes HPP produces a great PU, while Red Bull is left in the dust with a not so good PU that needs work. But we shall see. I'm looking forward to how the PU's shake out in '26 given the range of manufacturers designing and building PU's for 2026 and beyond.

Steady, the Ford boss was saying just last week how they are gonna go straight to the top with the new PU with Red Bull
https://www.racefans.net/2024/01/18/for ... -red-bull/

But that’s a discussion for the Red Bull thread.

[BMMR61]

Norris on why Family is more important than the quickest car. Also talks about the unfinished story of ups and downs with Mclaren.

https://racingnews365.com/mclaren-norri ... -champions

Now let's do this again but this time offer him the seat alongside Perez

For sure, who your teammate would be is a determining factor in any decision to move camp and your scenario, as theoretical as it is, would be enticing. But other factors still remain. There is a clear trajectory that has been marked out at McLaren, you could say everything is adding up to them becoming a major threat for, if not a championship in 2024, then race wins on merit. Failures and weaknesses have been addressed - infrastructure and team personnel structure in particular.

I followed this discussion and detected a loyalty versus lack of confidence in being able to beat Max conflict between the two camps. The term "fear" and "scared" was used hinting at personal weakness and lack of character but this ignores sound reasons for deciding the best career path. Does the dominant Red Bull of 2022/23 guarantee the same in 2025 (even ignoring this year)? Obviously not, and 2025 and beyond was the time frame of Lando's potential defection. Does the recent history of McLaren (especially post-Austria 2023) give reasonable backing to the idea they can become champions as early as 2025? - coincidentally the year Zak has always said they will be ready.

Red Bull has been the graveyard for the careers of number two drivers foolish enough to think they can challenge the number one and greatly favoured driver. I have no doubt the same would have been the case had Lando taken the bait, he wouldn't have been hired to beat Max and would have been battling for the crumbs.

Andrea has not been one to make excessively bold predictions of performance yet there's a confident atmosphere coming out of Woking, from all concerned. We will have to wait to see where they sit for 2024 relative to expectations but I'm confident that the wins are coming.

[Darth-Piekus]

I don't think it matters now. Lando is with us for two more seasons. It's up to the team to give him a championship in these two seasons. He will be better this year and if he has a car that is as good as Red Bull I am confident he will deliver.

[billamend]

I don't think it matters now. Lando is with us for two more seasons. It's up to the team to give him a championship in these two seasons. He will be better this year and if he has a car that is as good as Red Bull I am confident he will deliver.

He already had a contract until the end of 2025. This renewal means he will have a contract until, at least, 2027.

[mwillems]

Or till 2026 with options. The language used was to 2026 and beyond, if I recall correctly.

[Ground Effect]

Lamdo is getting a lot of criticisms for apparently not thinking it's wise to go to be Max’s team mate. Meanwhile, he's probably the only top driver honest and open enough to admit that nobody among the top drivers would want Max as a team mate. Lewis can say what he likes, but we know there were small windows of opportunity for Mercedes to sign him, but it never materialised likely due to Lewis’s reluctance. The Red Bull environment is a Max Verstappen kingdom. But Personally, I'd fancy Lando's chances against Max if he were to join McLaren.

[Cs98]

McLaren have been methodically working their way back up to the top. They have the tools in place and personal to cope with the 2026 regulation changes. Signing a new deal with Mercedes for PU's is a no brainer for McLaren (Brown was being diligent checking out Red Bull PU's). Sure, Red Bull have poached people from Mercedes HPP etc, but the boss of Mercedes HPP is relishing the challenge of the '26 PU regulations. All we've heard from Red Bull is extremely negative comments from Max about the Red Bull PU in the simulator.

Lando might look like a genius in 2026 if McLaren get the aero side of the regulations bang on and Mercedes HPP produces a great PU, while Red Bull is left in the dust with a not so good PU that needs work. But we shall see. I'm looking forward to how the PU's shake out in '26 given the range of manufacturers designing and building PU's for 2026 and beyond.

McLaren seems to be improving, but it's a bit delusional to legitimately think they are in a better position for 26 than RB. Being a customer has inherent disadvantages, the engine freeze has somewhat mitigated those but that will be going away again for 26. And extremely negative comments? I think you misinterpreted what he was saying. Those were not an indictment of their development, more a general critique of how the 2026 engines will operate across the board, with lots of clipping. In terms of development all comments I've read are essentially saying they are on track.

[Cs98]

Lamdo is getting a lot of criticisms for apparently not thinking it's wise to go to be Max’s team mate. Meanwhile, he's probably the only top driver honest and open enough to admit that nobody among the top drivers would want Max as a team mate. Lewis can say what he likes, but we know there were small windows of opportunity for Mercedes to sign him, but it never materialised likely due to Lewis’s reluctance. The Red Bull environment is a Max Verstappen kingdom. But Personally, I'd fancy Lando's chances against Max if he were to join McLaren.

Indeed, Lando was being honest. Some of the comments Lewis made last year saying he'd happily go up against Max in RB, those are cute but entirely meaningless when everyone knows that was never happening. RB didn't want him and I don't think he wanted to leave Merc.