2024 Mclaren Formula 1 Team

[mwillems]

Yes, it's more likely a Ferrari will challenge a Mclaren than vice versa but you never know, horrible starts do happen. I'm not sure how this will play.

Starting on softs could be an option, but it's so hard to overtake so what is the point. Going long is the best option but still offers slim pickings as the Ferraris will do the same. Can a Lando start on hards work, play for the SC?

I've read somewhere that Ferrari aren't totally happy about tyre life with this weekend's setup - maybe they have swapped out race pace for qualifying pace which is understandable. On McLaren's side, the ability to switch on the tyres will only have a small chance of leapfrogging the Ferrari(s) on the first lap, but Oscar is a good starter.

I really think they'd be fine, med-hards will see them through comfortably at this track I'm sure.

I hope we split strategy so Ferrari can't have it all their own way.

[mwillems]

It'd be nice if we understood what that distance delta was relative to...

[Emag]

I wonder if its worth going soft hard with Lando. Sainz will probably back everyone up. Lando can do like 15 laps on softs and pit for clean air early on and maybe put some pressure on Leclerc.

[LionsHeart]

I wonder if its worth going soft hard with Lando. Sainz will probably back everyone up. Lando can do like 15 laps on softs and pit for clean air early on and maybe put some pressure on Leclerc.

Are you kidding? After 15 laps he will get caught in traffic and ruin his race. The best option is to start on a medium and drive for as long as possible. Having a fast car will pay dividends. Having stopped later than the others, having spent your pit, you can go to that part of the table where there will be no slow cars.

Monaco is exactly the track where position on the track is extremely important. You can have a 2 second pace advantage and still be behind a slower car and fail to overtake, provided the opponent defends well.

[mwillems]

I'm not sure Sainz is that kind of team player this year. If he did back them up then softs would be good, but will he compromise his race for Charles and Ferrari?

[Darth-Piekus]

If Lando manages to get Sainz at the start our chances for a Monaco win will go up dramatically. They will still be good if Oscar keeps 2nd and I think in my opinion he should cover Sainz and try to hold him so Norris can pass him from the outside. In any case the best plan is to try and outlast Leclerc and pray that he will fall into traffic once he does his pit stop or if Ferrari screws up his strategy however for this plan to work Leclerc must not open the distance to the 3rd or 4th too much.

[mwillems]

I wonder if its worth going soft hard with Lando. Sainz will probably back everyone up. Lando can do like 15 laps on softs and pit for clean air early on and maybe put some pressure on Leclerc.

Are you kidding? After 15 laps he will get caught in traffic and ruin his race. The best option is to start on a medium and drive for as long as possible. Having a fast car will pay dividends. Having stopped later than the others, having spent your pit, you can go to that part of the table where there will be no slow cars.

Maybe even both on Hards, going long, look for the safety car as well as Lando backing up the pack behind making it hard for Charles to get an opportunity to pit if he is on Meds.

[Emag]

I wonder if its worth going soft hard with Lando. Sainz will probably back everyone up. Lando can do like 15 laps on softs and pit for clean air early on and maybe put some pressure on Leclerc.

Are you kidding? After 15 laps he will get caught in traffic and ruin his race. The best option is to start on a medium and drive for as long as possible. Having a fast car will pay dividends. Having stopped later than the others, having spent your pit, you can go to that part of the table where there will be no slow cars.

Monaco is exactly the track where position on the track is extremely important. You can have a 2 second pace advantage and still be behind a slower car and fail to overtake, provided the opponent defends well.

If Carlos backs everyone up, you get P3-P20 covered in ~10 seconds, with the front two way ahead. If you pit with that gap, you get around 10 seconds of clear air and perhaps even more if people from that slow group start pitting as well.

It's risky though because there's no guarantee Carlos will play that game. He will most likely not do that, because it probably means he loses the podium.

[Darth-Piekus]

Well Carlos definately can't do that as the moment he pits supposing Lando will go longer he will come out in traffic. He will be forced to follow.

[LionsHeart]

I wonder if its worth going soft hard with Lando. Sainz will probably back everyone up. Lando can do like 15 laps on softs and pit for clean air early on and maybe put some pressure on Leclerc.

Are you kidding? After 15 laps he will get caught in traffic and ruin his race. The best option is to start on a medium and drive for as long as possible. Having a fast car will pay dividends. Having stopped later than the others, having spent your pit, you can go to that part of the table where there will be no slow cars.

Monaco is exactly the track where position on the track is extremely important. You can have a 2 second pace advantage and still be behind a slower car and fail to overtake, provided the opponent defends well.

If Carlos backs everyone up, you get P3-P20 covered in ~10 seconds, with the front two way ahead. If you pit with that gap, you get around 10 seconds of clear air and perhaps even more if people from that slow group start pitting as well.

It's risky though because there's no guarantee Carlos will play that game. He will most likely not do that, because it probably means he loses the podium.

I will say this, I hope McLaren will not decide to start on soft tires. My heart will either fail or I will have a nervous breakdown.

[Emag]

Are you kidding? After 15 laps he will get caught in traffic and ruin his race. The best option is to start on a medium and drive for as long as possible. Having a fast car will pay dividends. Having stopped later than the others, having spent your pit, you can go to that part of the table where there will be no slow cars.

Monaco is exactly the track where position on the track is extremely important. You can have a 2 second pace advantage and still be behind a slower car and fail to overtake, provided the opponent defends well.

If Carlos backs everyone up, you get P3-P20 covered in ~10 seconds, with the front two way ahead. If you pit with that gap, you get around 10 seconds of clear air and perhaps even more if people from that slow group start pitting as well.

It's risky though because there's no guarantee Carlos will play that game. He will most likely not do that, because it probably means he loses the podium.

I will say this, I hope McLaren will not decide to start on soft tires. My heart will either fail or I will have a nervous breakdown.

Positions are set in stone in this damn track after quali. Doesn't hurt trying some random thing and hope it sticks.

[Darth-Piekus]

The best way is to start with Hards and go longer than Ferrari taking care of the tyres and when Ferrari goes inside start delivering fast lap after fast lap like we did in Miami.

[LionsHeart]

I wonder if its worth going soft hard with Lando. Sainz will probably back everyone up. Lando can do like 15 laps on softs and pit for clean air early on and maybe put some pressure on Leclerc.

Are you kidding? After 15 laps he will get caught in traffic and ruin his race. The best option is to start on a medium and drive for as long as possible. Having a fast car will pay dividends. Having stopped later than the others, having spent your pit, you can go to that part of the table where there will be no slow cars.

Maybe even both on Hards, going long, look for the safety car as well as Lando backing up the pack behind making it hard for Charles to get an opportunity to pit if he is on Meds.

This is an interesting option, but will you get a good start on Hard tires? And what happens if the safety car appears earlier, say on lap 10-12? Will the Medium tires be enough to reach the finish line?

[FittingMechanics]

I think the team will do a conservative strategy (like in Imola or Miami) where they will start on mediums. No split strategies. They seem to be hesitant to do so.

But - I think Norris will prioritize tire life and he may be ready to go long.

I don't think Sainz will do any type of holding others back. It doesn't make sense if he is P3 and by doing so, he would only slightly help his teammate but would otherwise make his race harder and only for P3. I don't think that Ferrari or Sainz will go for that in a race and season where they feel they can be in the fight for wins. This is not a fluke situation so that they have to do everything to maximize their result.

[FittingMechanics]

It'd be nice if we understood what that distance delta was relative to...

Distance at 150kph - probably speed around the breaking point for T1 on race start. Looks like it is impossible to overtake at start using the tyre delta. Even if Leclerc started on hards and Piastri on softs, the difference is too small.