2025 Spanish Grand Prix - Barcelona-Catalunya May 30 - June 1

[AR3-GP]

They've struggled with understeer and front lockups at many events. Certain corner profiles seem to work great with this front end, others less so, I don't think they've produced a perfectly balanced front end.

It's the lower speed corners T4, T5, T10, T12 where the front is understeering a lot. I wouldn't normally comment but it's a little shocking because I've spent a lot of time in awe of how much better Mclaren front end is in these types of corners. It's where they typically dominate Red Bull all year because they had an insane front end.

As you say, just FP1 though.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/ ... o_2021.svg

If that is the case, then Redbull is understeering even more than the Mclaren. If I look up the lap charts in gpblog, Max is losing nearly 2 tenths in T4 and nearly 1 tenth in T12. I didn't watch the session. Did the Redbull 'not understeer' in 4 ?

Red Bull is also understeering in those corners. Nothing unusual for that car. The unusual is Mclaren now understeering like a dog in those corners, but it's just FP1. If Red Bull can look like a dog every friday and turn it around, then perhaps we should grant Mclaren the same leniency.

[Quantum]

Red Bull is also understeering in those corners. Nothing unusual for that car. The unusual is Mclaren now understeering like a dog in those corners, but it's just FP1. If Red Bull can look like a dog every friday and turn it around, then perhaps we should grant Mclaren the same leniency.

They did so last year too. Spain and Understeery McLaren's are a fabric of this ruleset.

[mwillems]

It struggled at the hairpin in Japan, it struggled in China amongst others, it had understeer in the FPs on Monaco when Oscar broke the wing, it understeered at Bahrain. The car has had understeer for a while in certain corners.

I won't disagree when the entry is a happy one for Mclaren that it isn't strong, but understeer and front lockups are more of a hallmark of this years Mclaren than even the previous years, alongside the fact that when the car is happy the speed through the corners is fantastic.

[Cs98]

It struggled at the hairpin in Japan, it struggled in China amongst others, it had understeer in the FPs on Monaco when Oscar broke the wing, it understeered at Bahrain. The car has had understeer for a while in certain corners.

I won't disagree when the entry is a happy one for Mclaren that it isn't strong, but understeer and front lockups are more of a hallmark of this years Mclaren than even the previous years, alongside the fact that when the car is happy the speed through the corners is fantastic.

They may have turned the tyres to mush which always equals understeer, but the car turns on a dime when the grip is there. Lando has literally lost pole positions this year because he has been surprised by the sharp turn in. Miami being an obvious example in the final hairpin.

[mwillems]

It struggled at the hairpin in Japan, it struggled in China amongst others, it had understeer in the FPs on Monaco when Oscar broke the wing, it understeered at Bahrain. The car has had understeer for a while in certain corners.

I won't disagree when the entry is a happy one for Mclaren that it isn't strong, but understeer and front lockups are more of a hallmark of this years Mclaren than even the previous years, alongside the fact that when the car is happy the speed through the corners is fantastic.

They may have turned the tyres to mush which always equals understeer, but the car turns on a dime when the grip is there. Lando has literally lost pole positions this year because he has been surprised by the sharp turn in. Miami being an obvious example in the final hairpin.

I think they've lost more time and positions from understeering than anything else to be fair.

The car definately has a lot of grip at the front though, i think both points are true.

They were scrubbing speed pre entry more than usual for several races to avoid trail braking to get a higher apex speed because of the grip it could carry through the corner in this manner, for exactly the reason you point out. Treat it right and its magnificent.

[Cs98]

It struggled at the hairpin in Japan, it struggled in China amongst others, it had understeer in the FPs on Monaco when Oscar broke the wing, it understeered at Bahrain. The car has had understeer for a while in certain corners.

I won't disagree when the entry is a happy one for Mclaren that it isn't strong, but understeer and front lockups are more of a hallmark of this years Mclaren than even the previous years, alongside the fact that when the car is happy the speed through the corners is fantastic.

They may have turned the tyres to mush which always equals understeer, but the car turns on a dime when the grip is there. Lando has literally lost pole positions this year because he has been surprised by the sharp turn in. Miami being an obvious example in the final hairpin.

I think they've lost more time and positions from understeering than anything else to be fair.

The car definately has a lot of grip at the front though, i think both poinys are true.

They were scrubbing speed pre entry more than usual for several races to avoid trail braking to get a higher apex speed because of the grip it could carry through the corner in this manner.

Yeah but you have to put that "understeer" in relation to competitors. Some corners will just always induce understeer no matter what.

[organic]

Max and Norris longruns look strongest by far. Piastri is nowhere

[cliffgamerz]

Max and Norris longruns look strongest by far. Piastri is nowhere

Max when he started his first stint he was doing 1:19.900s and next lap was 1:19:700s and he did couple of 1:19:900s i think then he dropped of to 1:20.200s, whereas Norris started on 1:20.200s and stayed there consistently, probably driving to delta, also if you watch Piastri's laptimes, he was closer to Norris at start but then stuck to delta above 1:21.000s which probably could be a reason McLaren testing out 1 stop option by driving to delta.

[organic]

Max and Norris longruns look strongest by far. Piastri is nowhere

Max when he started his first stint he was doing 1:19.900s and next lap was 1:19:700s and he did couple of 1:19:900s i think then he dropped of to 1:20.200s, whereas Norris started on 1:20.200s and stayed there consistently, probably driving to delta, also if you watch Piastri's laptimes, he was closer to Norris at start but then stuck to delta above 1:21.000s which probably could be a reason McLaren testing out 1 stop option by driving to delta.

Norris was doing 1.20.4-1.20.5 by the end of the stint. so mclaren experienced degradation as well, just a couple of laps later than Max who pushed at the beginning of the stint

[cliffgamerz]

Max and Norris longruns look strongest by far. Piastri is nowhere

Max when he started his first stint he was doing 1:19.900s and next lap was 1:19:700s and he did couple of 1:19:900s i think then he dropped of to 1:20.200s, whereas Norris started on 1:20.200s and stayed there consistently, probably driving to delta, also if you watch Piastri's laptimes, he was closer to Norris at start but then stuck to delta above 1:21.000s which probably could be a reason McLaren testing out 1 stop option by driving to delta.

Norris was doing 1.20.4-1.20.5 by the end of the stint. so mclaren experienced degradation as well, just a couple of laps later than Max who pushed at the beginning of the stint

Also on second stint Norris is just destroying competition now doing 1:18.600s and 1:18.700s on mediums, but max is on softs so its not comparable.

[SB15]

Verstappen was lapping consistently in the 1:19 and very low 1:20's. Both Mercedes were around the high 1:20.7's on average, could be wrong. Norris was the only one lapping in the 1:18's. His 2nd stint on the mediums was mighty.

[Sergej]

here comes Lando crushing hopes

[organic]

here comes Lando crushing hopes

yeah the second stint is untouchable / Bahrain test race sim-esque

[avantman]

Sky F1 : "look how close it is"
lol

[cliffgamerz]

Verstappen was lapping consistently in the 1:19 and very low 1:20's. Both Mercedes were around the high 1:20.7's on average, could be wrong. Norris was the only one lapping in the 1:18's. His 2nd stint on the mediums was mighty.

I think we can't judge too much on pace from times as of now as i think many were driving to the Delta the teams set for them, probably testing out tyre degradation and management, but looks like general relative order is same as every race before nothing changed due to TD as some predicted.