BMMR61 wrote: ↑10 Nov 2024, 06:15
Mental strength is what Max has. It's been bred into him from the start. I don't want to elaborate because some people will take it the wrong way. Since he settled down I quite like Max, his straightforward way of answering displays that inner strength. The downside which you really can't separate from this (they're part and parcel of the same) is his unwillingness to concede, whether it driving or talking. If you're going to take on Max you have to be strong, very strong. Lando isn't, could learn but seems unwilling or uninterested in mental work. His talent is beyond question, he's very fast and smooth, but he gets rattled. He kept on, on the radio in Brazil GP about the tyres. This fidgety way of thinking just won't work under the blowtorch of high level competition. Personally, I'd send Mika, or even Emmo down there to spend time with him but I doubt he'd listen.
Oscar has it, the Australian style of mental toughness, more in the style of an Alan Jones or even Jack Brabham. Uncomplicated, keep stacking away the learnings race by race. He's just as talented as Lando in my opinion, it's just that these cars and tyres are a tough thing to fully decode, even Lewis struggles.
Your argument makes little sense.
According to you Lando is not mentally strong, but Oscar is. He has one less win than Lando, is being outqualfied 18-3, outraced 14-7, beaten on podiums 12-7, 7-0 on Pole Positions and is 70 points behind, according to you, the less mentally strong Lando with one more finish.
Ah, you may say but Oscar is only in his second season. Fair point. Lando is in his sixth season and has only been beaten by a team mate over a season once, that was his rookie year. Four of the last five years has him beating Australian drivers, who apprently have mental toughness built in, to do it. And his record against Carlos, in his second season is good. He beat him 8-7 in qualy, 8-7 in races and they had a podium each. So Oscar is not doing in his second season what Lando did in his.
Ah, but you may say that Lando has six seasons behind him. Fair point. But only three of those are in the current regs. Lando has one more season than Oscar driving these cars. Thats not a significant level of experience more. Oscar is two seasons in, the "he's still learning argument" doesn't cut it anymore. It can be argued that if Oscar had been closer to Lando all year McLarens grip on the Constructors would be a lot firmer right now.
Lando gets rattled ?? .. Maybe sometimes. Not holding him back when it comes to beating the mental Australian giant that is apparently Oscar Piastri though. And being the only driver to have a chance of taking the title from Max. And lets not forget that the apparently ice cool Oscar went off from the lead in Hungary under zero pressure and arguably cost himself a win in Spa by overshooting his pitbox on the final pit stop. He then rocked up in Monza and promptly helped LeClerc win the race by putting a good move, and it was a really good opportunistic move, on his team mate that ultimately cost the team. Lando is winning races by twenty seconds plus over everyone. Oscar was let through in Hungary while Lando was faster on older tyres and he barely held on in Baku while having to have Lando help him by holding up Perez, even Oscar admits that. Lando was back in 15th that day only because of a yellow flag.
Lando gets pulled up for losing places at the start. That's a fair point but the starts have got better through the year and there is also the second phase to consider. His reactions are up there with everyone else, it seems to be the second phase that is a problem, and that's car territory. Oscar gets praised fror making positions on Lando, not really difficult that when you are always starting to behind your team mate. This is the first time Lando has had to step up and challenge Max, in a year where no one expected him to, and that's a learning curve. Six months ago he hadn't won a race. Right now its still mathematically possible to win the title. Big leap that. Its funny how some people are keen on making out Oscar is still learning after two years and we should give him time while also giving Lando zero slack for being in his first title fight, apparently he is just "bottling" everything.
Oscar HAS to AT LEAST match Lando next year because the honeymoon is over. Zak Brown did a podcast with High Performance just after Daniel left the team. Zak stated that the next contract would have performance clauses in it, if Oscar isn't at least matching Lando next year then questions may start being asked. Getting Number One status is one thing, keeping it is another. You have to perform.
If Lando has struggled this year it's not really a surprise. You are beating your team mate but your team tells you publicly that you cannot win a Championship without your team mate while berating you on the radio for not wanting to give up a win after they put you in the lead. Refuses to publicly back you for the Drivers Title. Then your team principal says at Monza that the guy your'e beating "is the future" and now, after Brazil,says that actually, the drivers title was never really our focus. All in a team you stuck with because you believed in them, while turning down offers from the team that was winning everything at the time.
Yeah, I'd be doubting myself and my decisions a little bit too.
