2024 Mclaren Formula 1 Team

[McL-H]

I don’t care much about the WDC anyway. There is a reason I support a team and not any driver in particular. If there is one sport that should be regarded as a team sport, it is this. Teams make winning cars. Not drivers.

[Ben1980]

Yeah, Max did really great to put himself into a position where he could capitalize on the red flag. He drove super well, he was patient when he needed to be and fast when it was important. But it could have easily backfired. Without Colapinto crash we probably stay under safety car and Verstappen needs to pit into traffic again to take new tires.

Well, that is a bit short, there were multiple points leading to the outcome and I do not see much "backfire":
- What actually hurt Lando and Russel the most was the wrong call for the pitstop at the VSC. Russel clearly said it after the race and this really put both back. That cost both of them more than 10sec (I guess even more, I do not have the lap timing available now). The call was just blatantly wrong and there was enough time to correct when they saw Hulkenberg driving away.
- Even if the Alpines and Max were the only ones on worn tires, it was wet. Means the field spreads quickly, in Imola atwo years ago on a much less wet track on even tires, the field spread in 5 laps to 19sec till P8. Lando and George would need to pass the Alpines with Yuki on wets behind...I really do not see Verstappen loosing many positions with the 19sec of a normal pitstop there (also no lap times, I wonder if it was even 19sec in the wet), he would just need to hang out a few laps and defend the position.
- With the gap he put on the others and the clumsy restarts...there is not much difference thinkable especially if the Alpines and the RedBull come on the drying track. They were on average a second faster on nearly equal tires.

Wasn't Lando quite close to Max when the safety car was called? If the cars got bunched behind the safety car, and then Nax and the Alpines stopped, they would have dropped a bit down the order.

The call was probably right at the time, but not in hindsight. Lando said his tyres were gone.

[CjC]

Issues with the breaks in the race.
https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/mon-h ... /10670512/

I was going to say Oscar said there was an issue on the car in his post race interview.

[PapayaFan481]

I cannot wait for Oscar to be Number 1 driver in 2025 and show Norris how to put together a season without gifts.

What a salty comment to make about Max's win. Norris is lacking a champions mindset & I suspect this comes back to his upbringing & privilege of a well-off family.

Why didn't being brought up by a well off family and privileged background, including private schooling, affect Oscar then??

Comments like this should not be allowed on the board, it is purely there to provoke a response from others and adds nothing to the discussion. Makes me wonder why you're even in a TEAM thread, when you clearly don't support the team, just one driver.

[basti313]

Yeah, Max did really great to put himself into a position where he could capitalize on the red flag. He drove super well, he was patient when he needed to be and fast when it was important. But it could have easily backfired. Without Colapinto crash we probably stay under safety car and Verstappen needs to pit into traffic again to take new tires.

Well, that is a bit short, there were multiple points leading to the outcome and I do not see much "backfire":
- What actually hurt Lando and Russel the most was the wrong call for the pitstop at the VSC. Russel clearly said it after the race and this really put both back. That cost both of them more than 10sec (I guess even more, I do not have the lap timing available now). The call was just blatantly wrong and there was enough time to correct when they saw Hulkenberg driving away.
- Even if the Alpines and Max were the only ones on worn tires, it was wet. Means the field spreads quickly, in Imola atwo years ago on a much less wet track on even tires, the field spread in 5 laps to 19sec till P8. Lando and George would need to pass the Alpines with Yuki on wets behind...I really do not see Verstappen loosing many positions with the 19sec of a normal pitstop there (also no lap times, I wonder if it was even 19sec in the wet), he would just need to hang out a few laps and defend the position.
- With the gap he put on the others and the clumsy restarts...there is not much difference thinkable especially if the Alpines and the RedBull come on the drying track. They were on average a second faster on nearly equal tires.

Wasn't Lando quite close to Max when the safety car was called? If the cars got bunched behind the safety car, and then Nax and the Alpines stopped, they would have dropped a bit down the order.

Yes, but not far enough. As mentioned, if they just hang out a few laps, many gaps would generate in these conditions. It is a bit like fortune telling, which pace they would have had...but I do not see them loosing out too much.

The call was probably right at the time, but not in hindsight. Lando said his tyres were gone.

No, it was never right. They were the fastest cars on track, everyone else was caught behind Tsunoda. So there was no reason to pit under green in changing conditions. Then they saw the opportunity for a free stop under VSC and reacted much too slow in the end when the VSC ending was clear about 15sec before they went into the pits.

[CjC]

Genuinely curious, which one?

Landos DNF in Austria?

Well, the incident was of his doing, which he later effectively admitted himself. but ok, I'll get this as an answer.
Have a look
https://www.youtube.com/clip/Ugkx8w8fTo ... WsPUOwY9U9

Sorry, I was only suggesting Austria as a potential answer. I wasn’t looking for a reply.
I’m not interested in all the aftermath bs that carries over from every single incident which then usually ends up a trolling hatred.
I log the final classification as history and look to the next event. Dwelling on the past isn’t for me.

[SKYnRacing24]

I cannot wait for Oscar to be Number 1 driver in 2025 and show Norris how to put together a season without gifts.

What a salty comment to make about Max's win. Norris is lacking a champions mindset & I suspect this comes back to his upbringing & privilege of a well-off family.

lool Tell us how you really feel mate, Honestly from what ive seen this year Oscar doesn't have the raw pace that Lando has. Yes his wheel to wheel and overtakes are more clinical but he has one lap and tyre management to work on imo. its glaringly obvious at this point and the fact its not really improved from last year to now should be monitored. Until he works on this to the level of Lando or near he won't be in the frame for a WDC. Thats just my 2 pence.

[McL-H]

Lando and Oscar are both very good drivers. They are on the same level as Hamilton, Russell, Leclerc and Sainz when rated by top potential. Piastri is not the new Max that people were hoping for, but realistically we may not see anyone from Max’s level in the foreseeable future.

[Ben1980]

Lando and Oscar are both very good drivers. They are on the same level as Hamilton, Russell, Leclerc and Sainz when rated by top potential. Piastri is not the new Max that people were hoping for, but realistically we may not see anyone from Max’s level in the foreseeable future.

Max is great, but in who he came after Hamilton, someone will replace Max. It happens regularly. People thought Vettel was the pinnacle after 4 titles.

Sometimes though it's about luck, and being the right place at the right time.

Will Mercedes smash the next regulations and will Kimi Antobelli be the next anointed one.

[Venturiation]

I cannot wait for Oscar to be Number 1 driver in 2025 and show Norris how to put together a season without gifts.

What a salty comment to make about Max's win. Norris is lacking a champions mindset & I suspect this comes back to his upbringing & privilege of a well-off family.

the only problem this season is that norris always had upgrades for many races before piastri, they would be closer if it wasn't for that

[mwillems]

We need to be honest and admit that Mclaren and Norris werent ready for WDC. Hopefully they secure WCC, and make another step in the next season.

Definitely weren’t ready. Midfield and backmarkers for 10 years. And actually on this season it came as a surprise after Miami. They weren’t expecting to be in a title fight going into 2024 based on their predictions after new infrastructure came online.

A lot of weaknesses were exposed this season and they have to work to improve on them.

As for Lando, I hope the experience helps him improve both his racing abilities and the mental side of dealing with things in the sport.

I have to admit I was really frustrated at Lando yesterday, particularly at the restart. Every single driver was on the inside of the car in front trying to be ready to pounce at the green light. Whereas Lando was on the outside, letting the door fully open to Leclerc while not even being close to the car in front too.

It’s like he was trying to get overtaken.

I wish you could do emoji reactions to posts, would be super helpful I think, and it would potentially remove some of the posts here.

In this case, my reaction is

It’s like he was trying to get overtaken.

He actually suffered from that poor second phase again (1st upshift) which took him by surprise I think. Whilst he was trying to get the car to behave Lec had already got enough of the car alongside that he couldn't defend it.

it is quite possible that whatever mapping they had fixed previously did not apply to wet and there is an issue to resolve with how the traction is applied on a wet or damp track.

But that said, there were so many errors over the race that I think it is disingenuous to put it on the car.

[Ben1980]

I cannot wait for Oscar to be Number 1 driver in 2025 and show Norris how to put together a season without gifts.

What a salty comment to make about Max's win. Norris is lacking a champions mindset & I suspect this comes back to his upbringing & privilege of a well-off family.

the only problem this season is that norris always had upgrades for many races before piastri, they would be closer if it wasn't for that

How many, and what do you think impact was? But also, why would you give upgrades to the one behind always?

[mwillems]

I cannot wait for Oscar to be Number 1 driver in 2025 and show Norris how to put together a season without gifts.

What a salty comment to make about Max's win. Norris is lacking a champions mindset & I suspect this comes back to his upbringing & privilege of a well-off family.

the only problem this season is that norris always had upgrades for many races before piastri, they would be closer if it wasn't for that

How many, and what do you think impact was? But also, why would you give upgrades to the one behind always?

That's not what he is saying, he's saying that is part of the reason for the points gap.

There probably is maybe 10 or so points there, to be fair, but Oscar is definitely not as fast as Lando, he's just more efficient at converting the pace he does have into points. Both need to up their game, that's why over the last 11 races or so there is barely anything in it between them.

[FittingMechanics]

Yeah, Max did really great to put himself into a position where he could capitalize on the red flag. He drove super well, he was patient when he needed to be and fast when it was important. But it could have easily backfired. Without Colapinto crash we probably stay under safety car and Verstappen needs to pit into traffic again to take new tires.

Well, that is a bit short, there were multiple points leading to the outcome and I do not see much "backfire":
- What actually hurt Lando and Russel the most was the wrong call for the pitstop at the VSC. Russel clearly said it after the race and this really put both back. That cost both of them more than 10sec (I guess even more, I do not have the lap timing available now). The call was just blatantly wrong and there was enough time to correct when they saw Hulkenberg driving away.

I can agree with that. When I saw Hulkenberg moving it was obvious VSC would be called off, the team should have been ready and instructed Norris to abort the pitstop if VSC ended. There seems to have been enough time for that.

But even if we got a perfect outcome, Norris stays out takes the lead and finishes the race P1, it is very likely that Verstappen would get P2. This would mean about 36 point lead with 3 races to go, the dream would be alive but it would be super hard to achieve it.

Verstappen with his drive from P17 sealed his championship.

[taperoo2k]

Lando and Oscar are both very good drivers. They are on the same level as Hamilton, Russell, Leclerc and Sainz when rated by top potential.

Lewis is a 7 time world champion he's realised his potential (though he's always looking to improve), and given the car will have another tilt at winning the drivers title. He's up there with the likes of Senna, Prost, Schumacher and Fangio. Max isn't even at the end of his career yet, so there could be a lot more to come from him. Unless he decides to walk away from F1 at his peak, so he can and do other things in motorsport.

I still think McLaren have one of the strongest driver pairings. Both have been let down by poor decision making on the McLaren Pit wall and they've made mistakes as well. Like I've said many times before, the team is learning just as much as the drivers are. This isn't the McLaren of Ron Dennis.

Piastri is not the new Max that people were hoping for, but realistically we may not see anyone from Max’s level in the foreseeable future.

I think most people aren't interested in the new Max, but a driver who can go toe to toe with Max and beat him on their own terms.

Lando has done well to keep Max within touching distance, but it was always a tough ask overhauling the points deficit. Main thing is McLaren wins the constructors. Which they should be able to do as the car looked quick in the dry.