RB is stronger with full fuel. McLaren probably can't push as hard due to tyres overheating, but the issue is maybe less critical the more they burn fuel. To me it doesn't seem that McLaren is that better in terms of tyre management, at least this race. Maybe in the second stint Lando managed the tyres a bit better but he was just plain faster in the last stint which was just started so either Max was not pushing hard because of expected deg or McLaren was simply faster with less fuel after the adjustments they made post Sprint Race.Juzh wrote: ↑01 Jul 2024, 00:48First stint pace was ok, then it went downhill. Equal fast on hard tyre and then struggling again on meds. I dont understand how pace can suddenly disappear like that. These random struggles keep happening time and time again. Also slow pitstops are getting old now, few times is funny but now not so much anymore. Ferrari would instantly be thrown under the bus for this stuff (clown pitwall and all that), and yet here it's seemingly tolerated. It happened now too many times in crucial moments.
Quali and first stint gave a vastly deceiving impression on mclarens actual pace. Norris and piastri bottled it in Q, while verstappen was flying and again made the car look (much) better than it is. Real difference was probably around a tenth as it was in SQ but mclarens vastly superior tyre management again made it actual best race car on sunday.
When was the last slow pit stop they made?