2024 Mclaren Formula 1 Team

[PapayaFan481]

Come on! His weekend imploded in Q1, the decision to try mediums put him on the edge and after that he blew it on his own with a ridiculously overaggressive lap on the softs that ended on the kerb. The medium - hard strategy was rubbish, and went against common wisdom. I think he drove an OK race but far from his normal standard. When you consider he looked really great throughout the three practice sessions and headed FP3 (unusual for him) his exit was hard to believe. To try to spin some conspiracy theory goes against all common sense, AND the evident character of the lad. There was far too much over-egging of the team orders by media desperate for Lando to win the WDC from too early in the season - some are still at it but now it's defensible. Oscar is done and the job is to win the WCC if at all possible, the WDC would be a surprise bonus. I'll give my reason for now believing it's just become more realistic - elsewhere.

Both drivers tried the mediums in Q1 (and Ferrari) but it didn't work for anyone. It may be what put Piastri off, everything is different on other tyres.

I didn't usually like when they went conservative with their tire usage in Q1 and Q2 (using two sets for each) but here it meant Piastri was out.

Agreed.

What really confuses me is why they didn't bring him in and do a race style pitstop to out him on a new set of Soft tyres, rather than leave him trying to do a lap good enough on 3 lap old tyres. He clearly had enough fuel, so just needed tyres swapping, so they had time to do it.

[Seerix]

Come on! His weekend imploded in Q1, the decision to try mediums put him on the edge and after that he blew it on his own with a ridiculously overaggressive lap on the softs that ended on the kerb. The medium - hard strategy was rubbish, and went against common wisdom. I think he drove an OK race but far from his normal standard. When you consider he looked really great throughout the three practice sessions and headed FP3 (unusual for him) his exit was hard to believe. To try to spin some conspiracy theory goes against all common sense, AND the evident character of the lad. There was far too much over-egging of the team orders by media desperate for Lando to win the WDC from too early in the season - some are still at it but now it's defensible. Oscar is done and the job is to win the WCC if at all possible, the WDC would be a surprise bonus. I'll give my reason for now believing it's just become more realistic - elsewhere.

Both drivers tried the mediums in Q1 (and Ferrari) but it didn't work for anyone. It may be what put Piastri off, everything is different on other tyres.

I didn't usually like when they went conservative with their tire usage in Q1 and Q2 (using two sets for each) but here it meant Piastri was out.

Agreed.

What really confuses me is why they didn't bring him in and do a race style pitstop to out him on a new set of Soft tyres, rather than leave him trying to do a lap good enough on 3 lap old tyres. He clearly had enough fuel, so just needed tyres swapping, so they had time to do it.

Because they did not expect him to be that slow. SAI did 17.0 on used softs in Q2. Osc did 17.6

[LionsHeart]

Well, he also went off track in Austria and his lap time was cancelled. Because of this, he started lower and it cost him a potential victory. And he had the speed in qualifying. He also had the speed in Mexico. After the race, Oscar himself confirmed it. A banal mistake.

Yes, he needs to get better at stability and use tires more skillfully over the race distance. Having fresh Hards, he couldn’t get around the same Haas. Well, he got Hulk. Last year, without the fastest car, Lando seemed to finish fifth. True, the rivals there were probably weaker, plus this year they reduced the DRS zone on the main straight.

Btw I haven't seen anyone talking about how strange Piastri's strategy was. They started him on mediums but ran him to lap 39 which was time hard runners were stopping. So he did effectively a long stint heavy on fuel on medium tyres and then a short stint light on fuel on hards. Not sure if that was the smartest move they could have done. Normal way would be opposite, long stint on hards and short on mediums to the end.

I guess they probably wanted to get a lot of positions early on with the mediums against hard runners but it didn't work out at all.

And it's right that you noted this moment. I didn't understand it either. If I were the strategists, I would have called Oscar on the 29th-30th lap.

[daren_p]

Max may not be around to mess with Lando at the start but a +5 is not huge enough to the point where it’s guaranteed Lando pulls a full pitstop on him on the first stint. Then they can just let Max stay out a bit longer and fu*k Lando’s race once he is out of the pits to make him lose another one (assuming they’re going to be in the fight again).

While a possibility, with any luck, Lando might have cleaner air vs Max who might be in traffic & having to make more overtakes, on top Redbull hasn't been great on its tires, so would think Lando would be able to extend & not have to worry about that situation.

[SilviuAgo]

Excellent article!

How Max Verstappen telemetry data shows he fell into own trap twice.

https://www.planetf1.com/features/max-v ... trap-twice

[mwillems]

Well, he also went off track in Austria and his lap time was cancelled. Because of this, he started lower and it cost him a potential victory. And he had the speed in qualifying. He also had the speed in Mexico. After the race, Oscar himself confirmed it. A banal mistake.

Yes, he needs to get better at stability and use tires more skillfully over the race distance. Having fresh Hards, he couldn’t get around the same Haas. Well, he got Hulk. Last year, without the fastest car, Lando seemed to finish fifth. True, the rivals there were probably weaker, plus this year they reduced the DRS zone on the main straight.

Btw I haven't seen anyone talking about how strange Piastri's strategy was. They started him on mediums but ran him to lap 39 which was time hard runners were stopping. So he did effectively a long stint heavy on fuel on medium tyres and then a short stint light on fuel on hards. Not sure if that was the smartest move they could have done. Normal way would be opposite, long stint on hards and short on mediums to the end.

I guess they probably wanted to get a lot of positions early on with the mediums against hard runners but it didn't work out at all.

I was thinking this, but also he was fighting for clean air. Once he got it, it is possible the team wanted to keep him running uninterrupted and unhindered. He did seem to be struggling a little on the overtakes.

Aside from that I thought he had a good but not brilliant race.

[michl420]

Piastri underwhelming?

Today, it is ok. Yesterday a big mistake.

He was quite bad in first stint. He needed to be faster against those hard runners. But he made up for it by staying long and then having good pace on hards. I like how aggressive he is in his attacks. It will help him a lot in his career.

First stint good point. But I dont think he is aggressive by overtaking, mainly against slow cars. In my opinion this is a reason for the slow first stint. He "waits" sometimes 1 or 2 laps to overtake a much slower cars. Also he drive often very long first stints, so he need to be gentle on the trottle and that makes overtaking also not easyer.

[Mostlyeels]

Verstappen accepted the decisions quite calmly. He was probably willing to crash.

When I saw him steam into the corner I thought "he's let the Red Mist take over," but when I heard how calmly (derisively I thought) he took the penalties, I thought he still believed he was in the right. Or perhaps he just believes the stewards have it in for him now, and it's "yeah whatever".

[proteus]

Got to love Zaks Ferrari photobomb

[taperoo2k]

Verstappen accepted the decisions quite calmly. He was probably willing to crash.

When I saw him steam into the corner I thought "he's let the Red Mist take over," but when I heard how calmly (derisively I thought) he took the penalties, I thought he still believed he was in the right. Or perhaps he just believes the stewards have it in for him now, and it's "yeah whatever".

Max doesn't have to win races, so much as ensure Lando can't score enough points to win the title.
Either by doing it fairly on track or being Mad Max dive bombing up the inside etc.

[Darth-Piekus]

Not sure he can do that. He could be disqualified from the WDC if he deliberately keep doing that.

[Slahinki]

Not sure he can do that. He could be disqualified from the WDC if he deliberately keep doing that.

That would take balls I don't think the FIA has anymore. In addition I think he would have to deliberately crash Lando out of a race, and that can be hard to prove.

[Darth-Piekus]

It happened before with the great Michael Schumacher. You never know.

[Sidiamal]

Schumacher only got DQed because he had already lost the championship. I promise you that if he had won it they wouldn't have done anything.

[Darth-Piekus]

Perhaps you might be right though Williams might have brought that to court.