2024 Mclaren Formula 1 Team

[101FlyingDutchman]

To start P2 from the “wrong” side of the grid, would be insane to start with a hard. Same for Piastri, start on the hard and be in the fracas with lots of cars who will get elbows out straightaway. No point in sustaining car damage. You can risk it if turn 1 is fairly wide and overtaking on the track is reasonable. Doesn’t really seem like the best idea at Imola

[mwillems]

Yeah I think starting on Hards is like asking to get mugged at lights out and the further back we are the less chance we get to use the cars inherent pace meaning that going long won't be that advantageous.

To put it another way, we have the speed to make our own luck now.

[FittingMechanics]

Yeah I think starting on Hards is like asking to get mugged at lights out and the further back we are the less chance we get to use the cars inherent pace meaning that going long won't be that advantageous.

To put it another way, we have the speed to make our own luck now.

The idea behind Hards is to gamble on going long and get the big reward (P1 if you are lucky). We have Norris in P2 to go conventional. I don't think getting P4 or P3 compared to P5 is that big of a deal.

Let's wait and see who will try that.

[Espresso]

…
It was pretty much the same team of people that developed the 2023 car that also made that car go from bottom-midfield to top-3 with that Austria upgrade. Stella directing things for pure efficiency, with Peter Prodromou getting the freedom to lead the aerodynamics direction, and look what that team has done.

Important hires have joined that team now, but some fantastic, previously under-utilized people still remain there and have done a fantastic job. In my relatively short memory of following this sport, I don't recall any team doing what McLaren has done this past year or so.

To go from backmarker, to podium-contender and now to a win-contender, all unfolding in 1 year or so is just so crazy impressive, I don't think they are getting enough credit for it. They keep delivering these huge upgrade packages that just propel the car forward every time.

You're right, fighting with the RedBull became a "normal" too quickly and it seems like people forgot the journey this team has been in to get here. It's nothing short of a miracle and Ferrari and Mercedes are just proving how hard it is to consistently improve the car at such big margins like what McLaren has done.

Just a reminder to some people. This is what the picture was like in Bahrain this year:

https://i.imgur.com/8ecL3zv.png

It's fun to get carried away in this competitiveness, but realistically speaking, they could have been P5 and P6 today and it still that would have been an objectively good result for a team which was unremarkably in the midfield throughout the whole 2022. Started 2023 as a proper backmarker, but ended it as the 3rd (which at times was the 2nd) fastest car and managed to carry that through for 2024.

And as I said, Aston, Mercedes and Ferrari are proof of how hard that is to do.

Imho Brown forcing change with a gentle but clear way and Stella developing the ‘Newey’ way (Improve with your own knowledge but observe and implement any usable adapted copies of other innovations) brought MCL forward. While almost everyone was focused to copy the floor Stella understood where RBR made the difference and that enabled the jump forward.

[Emag]

To be honest I think Lando's gonna get pipped at the start regardless of what tire he starts on. It's a very bad grid position to be in and Charles seemed a bit mad yesterday. If he gets even slightly alongside, he is gonna push Lando wide since P3 got the inside line here going into T1.

I am just hoping he doesn't lose out to both Ferraris if that happens.

[mwillems]

Yeah I think starting on Hards is like asking to get mugged at lights out and the further back we are the less chance we get to use the cars inherent pace meaning that going long won't be that advantageous.

To put it another way, we have the speed to make our own luck now.

The idea behind Hards is to gamble on going long and get the big reward (P1 if you are lucky). We have Norris in P2 to go conventional. I don't think getting P4 or P3 compared to P5 is that big of a deal.

Let's wait and see who will try that.

Personally I'm not sure there's really a need to take risks. We have the pace to take that reward right out of anyone's hands with a safe strategy I think, as long as we don't throw it away at the pits or have bad starts.

[mwillems]

To be honest I think Lando's gonna get pipped at the start regardless of what tire he starts on. It's a very bad grid position to be in and Charles seemed a bit mad yesterday. If he gets even slightly alongside, he is gonna push Lando wide since P3 got the inside line here going into T1.

I am just hoping he doesn't lose out to both Ferraris if that happens.

Has there only been one dry GP since Imola came back onto the the calendar? Hamilton got mugged in the GP but in the wet it is pole who has struggled more. I hope you're not right!

[Tomsky]

[CjC]

I’m just fearing first corner contact to be honest.
We saw in 2021 when Max is up against a formidable opposition in similar speed machinery he isn’t afraid to use the front row of the grandstands. I just hope the way he treated Hamilton back then was a degree of desperation, now he’s top dog he might allow a bit more of a margin for his competitors.
Make no bones about it, Mclaren have put him under pressure the last 2 timed events now.

[CjC]

Wow if that advantage at the end of the lap plays out in the race then Lando will just overtake him.

[Tomsky]

Wow if that advantage at the end of the lap plays out in the race then Lando will just overtake him.

Max made a mistake on the way to the starting line.

[Mcl_G10]

I'd be very very tempted to go softs at the start to get ahead of Max. This will increase the pressure and its also highly likely imo that there will be a safety car at the start. I simply don't see everybody making it through the chicane cleanly.

Then it's about making max have to push to keep up and this is where the real reward happens. I'm not sure how many laps we can achieve before needing to pit.

Yes it is the strategy with the most upside Haswell as downside but I think with a slightly faster car we have to make use of it and ask the questions of Max and redbull.

[MrGapes]

Yep as many have a alluded too...P2 position is a pretty terrible starting position, P1 hugs inside tows p3... and P2 tows P4... + its the dirty side (luckily there is support races) but yeah its a lose lose... the ideal situation is either Max or Charles have a poor start, and Lando is angled to slip behind Max... Praying for a headwind into T1 so we could actually get somes overtakes

- But either way long race.. I think the deg looked quite good on friday soo I think go medium start on both cars.. do 1-2 conservative initial laps so they can target +4-5 on first stint, only way they are overtaking around here is with a significant tyre delta.

[SilviuAgo]

Wow if that advantage at the end of the lap plays out in the race then Lando will just overtake him.

Max made a mistake on the way to the starting line.

But also had a huge tow from Hulkenberg for that starting lap advantage (the case valid also for Max vs Oscar comparison). So from what I saw Lando play a catch game during entire lap and in the end almost got Max. The amount of time that Lando was gaining in Acqua Minerali, Variante Alta and Rivazza Uno and , specialy, Due was impressive.

[Vanja #66]

I’m just fearing first corner contact to be honest.
We saw in 2021 when Max is up against a formidable opposition in similar speed machinery he isn’t afraid to use the front row of the grandstands. I just hope the way he treated Hamilton back then was a degree of desperation, now he’s top dog he might allow a bit more of a margin for his competitors.
Make no bones about it, Mclaren have put him under pressure the last 2 timed events now.

Max hasn't missed a chance to force Leclerc out whenever he was next to him, earning him a penalty in Vegas. Norris needs to stand his ground and not allow to be pushed out like Hamilton pushed him in China Sprint and I hope we see Norris with elbows out, now that he's a race winner. Will be a really good race if he does