2024 Mclaren Formula 1 Team

[McL-H]

As I said by the way last week Max is a great talent but with racecraft like that he can't be anywhere near the greats.

Michael Schumacher
Ayrton Senna
Alain Prost

They drove with this same mentality against their championship rivals. I’d argue it’s the mentality that makes champions. I love Max for it and at the same time I hate him for it when it’s costing my dear team. I wished he drove for us.

I don't think either Senna or Prost have a legacy as being dirty racers apart from the one infamous mutual incident between them

Senna definitely had the reputation that you either avoided him or you both crashed and many drivers at the time were unhappy with his dangerous driving. Prost did not have such reputation. But when it mattered he too took both of them out in Japan 1989 to secure his championship. And Senna returned the favour the following year.

[Mostlyeels]

FYI, this was posted in the Red Bull team thread:

On German Sky, Marko just confirmed that another engine penalty for Verstappen looks likely indeed. +5 only, though.

He said that Qatar may be a chance for a win, while Interlagos with its slow corner whould suit them less. So I'd assume he'll take it next week.

[TeamKoolGreen]

Peter Windsor reckons McLaren made another error that cost Norris the win. Why did they have their title contending driver giving up his seat in FP1 ? His lack of FP1 time most likely cost him in qualifying. The Mclaren was the fastest. If he qualified on pole, he wins. More points thrown away. Which is fine, if you learn from it for 2025.

[Dunlay]

Has Piastri been secretly laid off from McLaren? He is driving like a midfield driver for some races now. His performance has disappeared with that illegal rear wing.

[Watto]

Is nice seeing Lando getting more aggressive with Max. Somewhat used Max's own tricks against him in T4. Too fast into the corner around the outside so he was far enough along side but was never making the corner but by the rules Max had to leave him space he didn't and...

I think for sure he is learning a little more to be that way something he wouldn't have done earlier in the season I think never really wanting to force the issue. Well done I think.

[BMMR61]

As an unashamed Piastri fan I won't let this go. This was his worst race weekend in F1. Some of the thought processes and approaches to his sessions are just OFF! WTF the use of mediums in Q1??? Then when obviously under pressure he did it on his own - he only had to secure top 10-12 to move safely forward to Q2 and he drove it like he'd stolen it! If you watched the onboards his hands were working like a crazy man, he cooked the tyres in half a lap and then half beached it on the kerb.

Then for the race, the obvious was to start on the hards and go deep, it worked for Lawson last week and it would have given him the tyre durability to make his way through the 10-17 positions. No genius required to strategise that. On mediums he had to look after the tyres and by then the Haas drivers had scooted well up the road. The speed the car had to perform DRS overtakes should have made for a better recovery drive. His start was clearly poor and it took him about till lap 10 to clear Zhao! For last place! After witnessing his masterly win at Baku we all thought we were seeing the blossoming of a great career. This was BAAAAD! Real bad. Only good sign was his precise and decisive overtakes are still there. Big debrief coming between Andrea, Oscar and his race engineer. The team need him on the podium and what was regular now looks unlikely.

[dialtone]

Ummm. At monza LEC won with an insane strategy gamble after he was gifted the lead by the battling McLarens, COTA they were gifted the lead by Max, in Mexico, if Lando didn't have Max the Seagull dive-bombing him, he would have been on Carlos's rear wing within a couple laps. Monaco was somewhat dominant but you can't pass there anyway

If my granpa had wheels, he’d be a car. Probably still finishing ahead of Checo.

Sounds like you have no clue how races are won and lost. Hopefully mclaren listens to you.

[Watto]

As an unashamed Piastri fan I won't let this go. This was his worst race weekend in F1. Some of the thought processes and approaches to his sessions are just OFF! WTF the use of mediums in Q1??? Then when obviously under pressure he did it on his own - he only had to secure top 10-12 to move safely forward to Q2 and he drove it like he'd stolen it! If you watched the onboards his hands were working like a crazy man, he cooked the tyres in half a lap and then half beached it on the kerb.

Then for the race, the obvious was to start on the hards and go deep, it worked for Lawson last week and it would have given him the tyre durability to make his way through the 10-17 positions. No genius required to strategise that. On mediums he had to look after the tyres and by then the Haas drivers had scooted well up the road. The speed the car had to perform DRS overtakes should have made for a better recovery drive. His start was clearly poor and it took him about till lap 10 to clear Zhao! For last place! After witnessing his masterly win at Baku we all thought we were seeing the blossoming of a great career. This was BAAAAD! Real bad. Only good sign was his precise and decisive overtakes are still there. Big debrief coming between Andrea, Oscar and his race engineer. The team need him on the podium and what was regular now looks unlikely.

Yep, his last 2 have been pretty poor.

I wonder a little if the recent updates have just made the car a little harder to drive. Still very good but have seeb Lando ave some concerns too but he is making more of it.


I though Piastri would be at least putting pressure on Max near the end but struggled to close the gap to the 2 Hass's.

[BMMR61]

The other half of my own review is concerning Lando. Well driven, but he must be pretty confused about how to deal with the problem of Max. It looks like Max doesn't care about preventing Ferrari and Charles from scoring, Lando has a target on his back and is 24 points greater the challenger to his WDC victory. Lando drove intelligently and seemed to maintain calm despite the injustice he received for the second and third time in a week. He was quick when he needed to be and he maintains his clever use of the tyres. What else could he have achieved? Nothing as Carlos was a masterclass all weekend and was never going to lose. So Lando did all he could be expected to do and is picking up strength under adversity - he will be stronger for it next year.

As I always said, the real battle is for the WCC. The only way Max will lose is if it is self inflicted. That's still possible with a five place [EDIT - grid!] penalty coming at Interlagos if Oscar and the Ferraris fill the necessary positions.

[Watto]

The other half of my own review is concerning Lando. Well driven, but he must be pretty confused about how to deal with the problem of Max. It looks like Max doesn't care about preventing Ferrari and Charles from scoring, Lando has a target on his back and is 24 points greater the challenger to his WDC victory. Lando drove intelligently and seemed to maintain calm despite the injustice he received for the second and third time in a week. He was quick when he needed to be and he maintains his clever use of the tyres. What else could he have achieved? Nothing as Carlos was a masterclass all weekend and was never going to lose. So Lando did all he could be expected to do and is picking up strength under adversity - he will be stronger for it next year.

As I always said, the real battle is for the WCC. The only way Max will lose is if it is self inflicted. That's still possible with a five place [EDIT - grid!] penalty coming at Interlagos if Oscar and the Ferraris fill the necessary positions.

I think Lando is leaning the lessons well here though. I think hes used Max's own tactics against him in T4 by Horners claims Lando was doing 15kmph faster than his quickest lap. Got up and past or at least side by side Max at the corner Apex probably doubtful he made the corner but it forced Max to give him space. I think Max was always happy to allow the 2 Ferrari to win/go 1 2. I suspect too thats why he didn't hand the place back hoping the 2 Ferraris could build a big enough gap.

[genarro]

In the end Maxypad was the winner of this situation. He sabotaged Landos race so that he wasnt able to win the race. Gives me the 1995 vibes with schumacher and his dirty driving.. Lets hope that piastri ups his racing for the remaining races so that we try to bring the constructors title home...

[FittingMechanics]

The other half of my own review is concerning Lando. Well driven, but he must be pretty confused about how to deal with the problem of Max. It looks like Max doesn't care about preventing Ferrari and Charles from scoring, Lando has a target on his back and is 24 points greater the challenger to his WDC victory. Lando drove intelligently and seemed to maintain calm despite the injustice he received for the second and third time in a week. He was quick when he needed to be and he maintains his clever use of the tyres. What else could he have achieved? Nothing as Carlos was a masterclass all weekend and was never going to lose. So Lando did all he could be expected to do and is picking up strength under adversity - he will be stronger for it next year.

As I always said, the real battle is for the WCC. The only way Max will lose is if it is self inflicted. That's still possible with a five place [EDIT - grid!] penalty coming at Interlagos if Oscar and the Ferraris fill the necessary positions.

I think Lando is leaning the lessons well here though. I think hes used Max's own tactics against him in T4 by Horners claims Lando was doing 15kmph faster than his quickest lap. Got up and past or at least side by side Max at the corner Apex probably doubtful he made the corner but it forced Max to give him space. I think Max was always happy to allow the 2 Ferrari to win/go 1 2. I suspect too thats why he didn't hand the place back hoping the 2 Ferraris could build a big enough gap.

This is wrong. Norris was making that corner (T4). It can be easily seen and confirmed by watching onboard of Norris, he straightens the car and is on road and clearly in control, he would have kept two tyres on the road but then Verstappen barges in and Norris bails. This is completely obvious on the onboard.

He would then have a tight line into T5 where Verstappen would be on the outside. I reckon Verstappen would be able to defend in T5 but with these rules who knows.

Don't trust everything people (Horner) say. Use your eyes.

[Marc.W]

Who takes anything Horner says as factual these days?