2024 Mclaren Formula 1 Team

[CjC]

Forget my shady remark guys, I’ve re-read it a few times and I’ve got my wording all wrong.

I’m just going to clarify:

Thank goodness Mclaren signed Piastri

Anyway,
I’m not saying you aren’t going to be happy if Mclaren are victorious but I feel some Mclaren fans are going to look at it a bit like Mclaren won by default/ others failing.

I won’t.
Take the premier league for instance. IF Liverpool or Arsenal win the league it will be celebrated as a great achievement not because player X, Y and Z were out injured for City.

I do disagree about judging the car competitiveness comparisons with the points table.
The fact both McLaren drivers are close together which as it so happens at this moment in time is towards the front of the grid to mean means it’s a very competitive car which allows both cars to challenge.
Verstappen is just doing an incredible job with the car he has, a bit like Alonso did in his Ferrari years.

[venkyhere]

That is extremely debatable and in my opinion you are incorect. The car was only the fastest by far in Zandvoort, Hungaroring and Singapore. Nowhere else you mentioned it had the capacity to be dominant for an easy win like Red Bull's car of the last two years.

Not fast enough that circumstances can't give the win to someone else. It's just that when those circumstances were in control of the driver or strategy team and not events out of our control then it becomes frustrating.

Fastest = best race pace in clean air.
Fastest doesn't mean 'dominant by a big margin' OR 'wins races by 20 seconds'.

[Darth-Piekus]

Fastest also doesnt mean taking the pole position only. Its a full weekend package and in a lot of those GPs the car was not top.

[mwillems]

That is extremely debatable and in my opinion you are incorect. The car was only the fastest by far in Zandvoort, Hungaroring and Singapore. Nowhere else you mentioned it had the capacity to be dominant for an easy win like Red Bull's car of the last two years.

Not fast enough that circumstances can't give the win to someone else. It's just that when those circumstances were in control of the driver or strategy team and not events out of our control then it becomes frustrating.

Fastest = best race pace in clean air.
Fastest doesn't mean 'dominant by a big margin' OR 'wins races by 20 seconds'.

That's what I said. Not fast enough that we can afford bad luck, bad strategy or poor driving. Dominant cars can afford those things.

[mwillems]

Forget my shady remark guys, I’ve re-read it a few times and I’ve got my wording all wrong.

I’m just going to clarify:

Thank goodness Mclaren signed Piastri

Anyway,
I’m not saying you aren’t going to be happy if Mclaren are victorious but I feel some Mclaren fans are going to look at it a bit like Mclaren won by default/ others failing.

I won’t.
Take the premier league for instance. IF Liverpool or Arsenal win the league it will be celebrated as a great achievement not because player X, Y and Z were out injured for City.

I do disagree about judging the car competitiveness comparisons with the points table.
The fact both McLaren drivers are close together which as it so happens at this moment in time is towards the front of the grid to mean means it’s a very competitive car which allows both cars to challenge.
Verstappen is just doing an incredible job with the car he has, a bit like Alonso did in his Ferrari years.

Well, that's one player from a very big and expensively assembled squad, one which the PL alleges was done by breaking the rules lol Whereas Mclaren are good "cityzens" of F1 .Whereas if one of your drivers doesn't perform, it's a big deal, akin to having half of your squad not turning up. So if Arsenal win the league, it's because they are the bet team in the world and City are dirty financial cheaters Joking. Sort of Ahahahaha

Listen, I'm not saying Mclaren don't deserve the WCC, they do, in my opinion. All the guys building the car, for me, have been by far the best since May of last year and I wouldn't begrudge them anything.

All I'm saying is, don't take it for granted and remember that all the mistakes could have been more costly than they were, if it wasn't for Red Bulls wonderful meltdown. Couldn't have happened to a nicer team.

[mwillems]

[BMMR61]

McLaren arguably came from a long way back to consistent podium players. This progress is measured from early 2023 to mid 2024. By early this year we were cemented in the top 4, arguably top 3 behind Ferrari and arguably ahead of Merc. As was the case the previous season, McLaren were predicting a strong upswing with major upgrades due to be introduced. Stella said then that he expected a continuation of the gains of 2023 to continue through the year. Ferrari were our target, who in turn were about 0.3 off of Red Bull. I stated then, that when dominations come to an end they usually don't happen gradually, but quite suddenly. This occurred, it was like success "sneaked up" on McLaren and they were ill prepared for some of the team management aspects that come with being at the front. Like strategy.

With all the mocking of McLaren's management shortcomings, many have failed to realise how much building a winning mentality entails. Strategy was the obvious, though not only area in need of building. Also, both our drivers had zero experience of winning. Max had several seasons of occasional wins before becoming the winning machine he now is, and he is an exceptional talent. Lando is measured by his 5+ seasons, though much of it was spent chasing top 8 positions, not podiums. The mentality is different and he has been adapting to the battle before him. Oscar always looked something of an exceptional talent, characterised by his Baku drive, where his character shone through. Between the two, McLaren look like they have a very good chance of the WCC.