2025 McLaren F1 Team

[Macklaren]

I'm pretty certain you're just trolling, but if you think 7s lead before the safety car is dominant you need your head seeing to

https://i.postimg.cc/VkwsL3gB/Gaps.png

Oscar was pulling away from RUS by 0.33 sec/lap the first stint. And he wasn't even pushing...he was the last of the Soft leaders to pit. He was easily managing his pace in a high deg race

[mwillems]

I doubt he wasn't pushing at that point, but making a safe a gap, and also with the benefit of clean air.

Likewise, Russell would manage the tyres till the first stop.

Same situation for both but clean air on quickly degrading softs for Oscar.

[chengzhongyi2013]

Without antagonising any fans of Lando - I’m making a case for Oscar as 2025 WDC.
But let’s see, long way to go.

[FittingMechanics]

All the talk of "dominant" car is because McLaren has two (top) drivers who are similar on pace. If they had a "Verstappen" and a "Perez" then there would be no talk of dominant McLaren.

I also think people are wrongly using "dominant" to mean fastest car. The car that is fastest is not dominant if it has a small advantage. Like last year, McLaren had on average fastest car after Miami but it wasn't dominant in most tracks, only exceptions were Hungary (1-2), Zandvoort and Singapore (and even there Piastri didn't manage to get to P2).

[bauc]

Great race by PIA, he reminds me of Mika and Kimi, cold and effective.... he is turning into a great driver and at the moment seems the more likley WDC candidate but I'm sure Lando will bounce back, I expect him to as soon as next race.

I dont really care who out of the 2 can/will become WDC, as long as it happens and Mclaren are properly back on the top of F1.

NOR did solid recovery but his mistake on the start put him on the back foot, also lost too much time with the Ferraris so at the end was too late to catch RUS, who I must admit did a phenomenal job.

[Cs98]

All the talk of "dominant" car is because McLaren has two (top) drivers who are similar on pace. If they had a "Verstappen" and a "Perez" then there would be no talk of dominant McLaren.

I also think people are wrongly using "dominant" to mean fastest car. The car that is fastest is not dominant if it has a small advantage. Like last year, McLaren had on average fastest car after Miami but it wasn't dominant in most tracks, only exceptions were Hungary (1-2), Zandvoort and Singapore (and even there Piastri didn't manage to get to P2).

Of course it’s dominant, it’s one of the most obvious dominant cars in recent times. They have the best raw pace by a significant margin, the most downforce without unnecessary drag, and by far the best tyre deg in all conditions. They should have easily won every race this year if not for a miraculous Max lap combined with the McLaren guys messing up at the same time. The only thing standing between them and having a 1988/2004/2020/2023 type season is driver and team execution at the track.

[proteus]

Great race by PIA, he reminds me of Mika and Kimi, cold and effective.... he is turning into a great driver and at the moment seems the more likley WDC candidate but I'm sure Lando will bounce back, I expect him to as soon as next race.

I dont really care who out of the 2 can/will become WDC, as long as it happens and Mclaren are properly back on the top of F1.

NOR did solid recovery but his mistake on the start put him on the back foot, also lost too much time with the Ferraris so at the end was too late to catch RUS, who I must admit did a phenomenal job.

Leclerc has some behaveoural problems when it comes to Mclaren. His late brake jerking and his squeezes off the track are somewhat becoming his trademark moves everytime he sees orange behind him.

[venkyhere]

Leclerc has some behaveoural problems when it comes to Mclaren. His late brake jerking and his squeezes off the track are somewhat becoming his trademark moves everytime he sees orange behind him.

Oh so now you find fault with the guy defending the overtake, for the lack of elite 'race craft' by Norris ? Hand on heart, how many McLaren fans here feel that Norris has to improve his race craft in wheel to wheel battles ?

- How long did it take him to figure out that T1 after the longest straight was the wrong place to try passing and that T4 after a shorter distance straight was better, given the lower top speed of McLaren v/s Ferrari and Mercedes ?

- How long is it going to take him to figure out that when it's a sharp reflex angle turn like T1, with an immediate opposite turn (T2) after it, that 'taking the outside line' is not the way to overtake ?

Such decisions, taken on the fly, in high adrenaline state, is what the 'craft' of wheel to wheel racing is renowned for. He is a superb driver, Norris; but has to enhance himself in this aspect. No use blaming the other driver who is defending for his life.

[kurtj]

Oscar seems to have a better handle of the car and is definitely better racer of the two. In all of the races, Oscar has shown better race pace than Lando. If Oscar puts it ahead of Lando in qualifying, he appears to certainly finish it that way in the race too. He was faster in Australia and he was faster in Japan too. McLaren should focus on Oscar to ensure they don't get caught out by an improving Mercedes with a highly consistent George or potentially bigger threat Red Bull with a dangerous Max, as the season is very long. Lando is inconsistent and error prone.

[Slahinki]

Oscar seems to have a better handle of the car and is definitely better racer of the two. In all of the races, Oscar has shown better race pace than Lando. If Oscar puts it ahead of Lando in qualifying, he appears to certainly finish it that way in the race too. He was faster in Australia and he was faster in Japan too. McLaren should focus on Oscar to ensure they don't get caught out by an improving Mercedes with a highly consistent George or potentially bigger threat Red Bull with a dangerous Max, as the season is very long. Lando is inconsistent and error prone.

Lmao.

[Ground Effect]

Great race by PIA, he reminds me of Mika and Kimi, cold and effective.... he is turning into a great driver and at the moment seems the more likley WDC candidate but I'm sure Lando will bounce back, I expect him to as soon as next race.

I dont really care who out of the 2 can/will become WDC, as long as it happens and Mclaren are properly back on the top of F1.

NOR did solid recovery but his mistake on the start put him on the back foot, also lost too much time with the Ferraris so at the end was too late to catch RUS, who I must admit did a phenomenal job.

100% on this, I just want a double Championship, whoever gets the WDC, well done to him. Keep it clean and competitive...

[Ground Effect]

Great race by PIA, he reminds me of Mika and Kimi, cold and effective.... he is turning into a great driver and at the moment seems the more likley WDC candidate but I'm sure Lando will bounce back, I expect him to as soon as next race.

I dont really care who out of the 2 can/will become WDC, as long as it happens and Mclaren are properly back on the top of F1.

NOR did solid recovery but his mistake on the start put him on the back foot, also lost too much time with the Ferraris so at the end was too late to catch RUS, who I must admit did a phenomenal job.

Leclerc has some behaveoural problems when it comes to Mclaren. His late brake jerking and his squeezes off the track are somewhat becoming his trademark moves everytime he sees orange behind him.

I don't agree with that, Charles is one of the best, if not the best when it comes to positioning his car, he doesn't move under braking or anything like that. He learned from Austria 2019, when the FIA gave the all clear to Max. He's definitely hard, but always fair, never ends in tears.

[BMMR61]

I'm putting the case that the expected race pace and tyre management of the McLaren WAS dominant here. Allied to that, Lando's mindset and racecaraft cost him massively and he didn't show McLaren's real pace in dirty air. Here goes;

Oscar's lead at the time of the safety car was 8 seconds.
Russell gained 2+ seconds on the undercut at the first stop.
When the race was restarted from SC Oscar had lost 10+ seconds.
His race victory was 15+ seconds, therefore equivalent to 25 seconds in a race not neutralised.
His pace at the end showed he had far more tyre life than his competitors, sure that's a benefit of being out front in clan air.

How did it appear that Oscar and McLaren didn't have more than 0.35 seconds per lap over Russell? Oscar was needing to defend his tyres, not his lead. First stint, 14 laps on softs - nobody knew how they would handle the heat so caution in extending a lead beyond the undercut was the priority. Oscar's first stint was only curtailed because of the Russell undercut threat.

Second stint on mediums wasn't as conservative as the first because of the confidence and knowledge in the mediums. 18 laps on mediums Oscar extended his lead from 2 seconds to 8.5 seconds running much of the time when not caught in traffic, nearly 0.5 faster than George.

Final stint and with Russell on softs and 20 racing laps left there was no way Oscar could lose. With 5 laps to go he was dipping into the 1.35s while everyone else was in the 1.37s and 1.38s - such was his advantage on worn tyres and low tanks. The only reason Oscar maintained this pace was to rub in the message while taking no risks at all. Masterclass.

Correct me where you disagree.

[Jdn1327]

All the talk of "dominant" car is because McLaren has two (top) drivers who are similar on pace. If they had a "Verstappen" and a "Perez" then there would be no talk of dominant McLaren.

I also think people are wrongly using "dominant" to mean fastest car. The car that is fastest is not dominant if it has a small advantage. Like last year, McLaren had on average fastest car after Miami but it wasn't dominant in most tracks, only exceptions were Hungary (1-2), Zandvoort and Singapore (and even there Piastri didn't manage to get to P2).

100% agreed
Dominance refers to 2023 redbull...where if you're not winning, your team mate is. Also cleaning up qualifying, sprints and even the practice sessions.

Although I feel the only people who can undo all this good work mclaren is doing, are mlcaren themselves...papaya rules are going to become a problem sooner rather than later...and while I respect a 'let then race' philosophy...in a championship this close...its only a matter of time before teams have to pick a clear no. 1 driver for the championship. And with out a dominant car you have to do that otherwise...you'll lose both trophies.

[BMMR61]

All the talk of "dominant" car is because McLaren has two (top) drivers who are similar on pace. If they had a "Verstappen" and a "Perez" then there would be no talk of dominant McLaren.

I also think people are wrongly using "dominant" to mean fastest car. The car that is fastest is not dominant if it has a small advantage. Like last year, McLaren had on average fastest car after Miami but it wasn't dominant in most tracks, only exceptions were Hungary (1-2), Zandvoort and Singapore (and even there Piastri didn't manage to get to P2).

100% agreed
Dominance refers to 2023 redbull...where if you're not winning, your team mate is. Also cleaning up qualifying, sprints and even the practice sessions.

Although I feel the only people who can undo all this good work mclaren is doing, are mlcaren themselves...papaya rules are going to become a problem sooner rather than later...and while I respect a 'let then race' philosophy...in a championship this close...its only a matter of time before teams have to pick a clear no. 1 driver for the championship. And with out a dominant car you have to do that otherwise...you'll lose both trophies.

Didn't stop Lauda and Prost scoring McLaren titles in 1984 and 1985,
Didn't stop Piquet and Mansell on 1987,
Didn't stop Prost and Senna in 1988 and 1989,
Hill and Villeneuve in 1996,
Button and Barrichello in 2009,
Hamilton and Rosberg in 1014, 2015 and 2016.

Course if you want to see the dull and turgid affairs of pay drivers doing as they're told like Barrichello at Ferrari and Bottas at Mercedes, then I enjoy a different version of the sport I have loved for more than 50 years. Everyone loses, the sport and the fans when F1 is conducted like a high speed version of the Tour de France!