2025 McLaren F1 Team

[mwillems]

The problem I have with the throttle usage metrics is the fact that they’re completely irrelevant if you don’t know how much the driver was pushing. Was he trying to go close to the limit, or was he taking it easy and not rushing to go on throttle after each corner?

what is the purpose of running a 'quali-sim' with the driver being 'gentle-on-the-throttle' ? What are they testing then, what purpose would such a lap serve, of what use will that data be ?

Same as it is in free practise when they detune the engines and go easy on the fast laps. It's less about getting onto the bleeding edge as it is about testing a setup on a very light car in qualy configuration.

[FittingMechanics]

I will be quite surprised if McLaren has a clear lead in race pace and struggles to turn it into qualy pace. What I think is much more likely is that McLaren focused on race pace. Most of their qualy runs didn't look to be all that serious.

Or we have no pace in race and qualy.

[Darth-Piekus]

In the meantime Red Bull has gone to the FIA to report possible appearance of the Mini DRS to Mclaren and Ferrari wings. The FIA will do a surprise visit and inspect both teams. What do you think of it?

[CjC]

In the meantime Red Bull has gone to the FIA to report possible appearance of the Mini DRS to Mclaren and Ferrari wings. The FIA will do a surprise visit and inspect both teams. What do you think of it?

Where have you heard about the surprise visit?

I heard that they are going to install cameras to watch the rear wings on all teams in Melbourne just like they did with the front wings at Spa last season

[mwillems]

There was a spurious headline about factory visits, but it was not what was widely reported, which is that the FIA will be mounting cameras and checking wings at Australia.

[Darth-Piekus]

I see. It was misinformation by the headline then. Thanks for the clarification. In any case what do you think about that Red Bull report? Do they have legitimate evidence or could they probably having something on their car and trying to take the eyes of the FIA off them by making them focus on Mclaren and Ferrari?

[Ben1980]

The mini drs chat was during testing. I can't believe the team can be that daft they would tread that close to the line again

[the EDGE]

Wow, the first 3 questions are rather direct, & Lando does not shy away from answering them. He looks confident & happy with where they are...

[FittingMechanics]

Really good questions too.

[mwillems]

Wow, great interview.

Lando says the rear needs to be the teams sole focus now. I wasn't in the car on the race run, so I don't know how much he was living within the rears limitation, but we all know it looked pretty good. Friday was probably one of the biggest challenges the rear will get this year, so I suspect that this is two things. The nose has improved more than the rear and it is making it look worse than it is, the driver always wants to complain about something.

I mean, is the rear really an issue or are the team just paying for not getting the same improvement at both ends. I suspect it is the latter.

I wonder if they made changes to the balance of the floor as well as mechanically, to improve the front, and it has gone a bit far. Perhaps the nose has surprised them a little with its performance and it will be straight forward to change.

Or I guess, there will be tracks where the rear is strong enough and the front could have more, but Lando hasn't taken this car to that track yet!

[BMMR61]

Fantastic interview, didn't know NBC had an F1 interest. What struck me was Lando showed greater maturity through the way he navigated the questions to be in control of all situations and not be trapped. I think of a number of things were revealed in a general sense about Lando. On reflection I wondered if Lando's four and a half years driving not really competitive McLarens and being denied his first win, damaged his self belief, and now that is quickly being repaired. I hope he continues the form of this interview and avoids mentally undermining himself as he has show signs of in the last year.

I'm now ready to bet on LN4 for 2026 WDC!

[mwillems]

He's openly talked about his struggles with confidence and mental health in those first 2 to 3 years.

[CjC]

Fantastic interview, didn't know NBC had an F1 interest. What struck me was Lando showed greater maturity through the way he navigated the questions to be in control of all situations and not be trapped. I think of a number of things were revealed in a general sense about Lando. On reflection I wondered if Lando's four and a half years driving not really competitive McLarens and being denied his first win, damaged his self belief, and now that is quickly being repaired. I hope he continues the form of this interview and avoids mentally undermining himself as he has show signs of in the last year.

I'm now ready to bet on LN4 for 2026 WDC!

Have you written this season off already??

[CjC]

Wow, great interview.

Lando says the rear needs to be the teams sole focus now. I wasn't in the car on the race run, so I don't know how much he was living within the rears limitation, but we all know it looked pretty good. Friday was probably one of the biggest challenges the rear will get this year, so I suspect that this is two things. The nose has improved more than the rear and it is making it look worse than it is, the driver always wants to complain about something.

I mean, is the rear really an issue or are the team just paying for not getting the same improvement at both ends. I suspect it is the latter.

I wonder if they made changes to the balance of the floor as well as mechanically, to improve the front, and it has gone a bit far. Perhaps the nose has surprised them a little with its performance and it will be straight forward to change.

Or I guess, there will be tracks where the rear is strong enough and the front could have more, but Lando hasn't taken this car to that track yet!

This was what I referring to yesterday about the question mark with the one lap pace.

[mwillems]

I'm not getting it, unless you think the rear isn't up to the one lap pace?