2025 McLaren F1 Team

[FittingMechanics]

7 tenths is quite a big gap to be explained by engine modes

It's the temperature, like in Jeddah. But here we won't be racing and qualifying at night.

[avantman]

7 tenths is quite a big gap to be explained by engine modes

It's the temperature, like in Jeddah. But here we won't be racing and qualifying at night.

yes, 47 degrees during push lap attempts, the hottest we've seen all year even beating FP3 in Jeddah. some of it has to be power difference though.

[BMMR61]

Lando was on new softs when he made the mistake. I checked the onboard.

Insane pace regardless.

Maybe misstimed photo then. But yeah, Lando needs to put it together for quali then. Because 2 tenths off Oscar in S1 isn't going to cut it.

Planet F1 report - https://www.planetf1.com/news/spanish-g ... fp3-report
Meanwhile, his team-mate Piastri did a particular slow out-lap, almost crawling around the circuit. And then went purple, purple, and purple. A 1:12.913.

Makes sense because even with almost a lap of push prior to Lando going out again, 0.526 is a big gap. With 1.0 second up on Max, Red Bull have some work to do for qualifying this afternoon. I guess we've seen that movie before.....

[BMMR61]

7 tenths is quite a big gap to be explained by engine modes

It's the temperature, like in Jeddah. But here we won't be racing and qualifying at night.

yes, 47 degrees during push lap attempts, the hottest we've seen all year even beating FP3 in Jeddah. some of it has to be power difference though.

That efficient McLaren cooling working to best effect. Are we going to see some more M-B PU failures here?

[Macklaren]

Anthony Davidson saying on Sky commentary that there is minimum 5 tenths difference between used Soft and new Soft, which explains Lando's gap to Oscar. Doesn't explain Lando's yellow first sector on his first run though but that may just be a mistake

[avantman]

It's the temperature, like in Jeddah. But here we won't be racing and qualifying at night.

yes, 47 degrees during push lap attempts, the hottest we've seen all year even beating FP3 in Jeddah. some of it has to be power difference though.

That efficient McLaren cooling working to best effect. Are we going to see some more M-B PU failures here?

Was it reported Merc pu failures we saw in Monaco were related to overheating?

[Macklaren]

yes, 47 degrees during push lap attempts, the hottest we've seen all year even beating FP3 in Jeddah. some of it has to be power difference though.

That efficient McLaren cooling working to best effect. Are we going to see some more M-B PU failures here?

Was it reported Merc pu failures we saw in Monaco were related to overheating?

ALO was a spark plug failure

[mwillems]

Certainly the rear has had some moments whilst finding the right balance, but otherwise this looks very good.

FP3 is generally closer in terms of the final gaps so... I'll stop there and not jinx it.

[mwillems]

Lando was on new softs when he made the mistake. I checked the onboard.

Insane pace regardless.

Maybe misstimed photo then. But yeah, Lando needs to put it together for quali then. Because 2 tenths off Oscar in S1 isn't going to cut it.

Planet F1 report - https://www.planetf1.com/news/spanish-g ... fp3-report
Meanwhile, his team-mate Piastri did a particular slow out-lap, almost crawling around the circuit. And then went purple, purple, and purple. A 1:12.913.

Makes sense because even with almost a lap of push prior to Lando going out again, 0.526 is a big gap. With 1.0 second up on Max, Red Bull have some work to do for qualifying this afternoon. I guess we've seen that movie before.....

Ive not seen Max pull this gap in fp3.

I e pect them to close up a little, but my feeling is that this will be Miami lite.

The onus is on the drivers to not mess up.

Here's a thought... what if this TD benefits the car that has the most mechanical grip....

[Emag]

Maybe misstimed photo then. But yeah, Lando needs to put it together for quali then. Because 2 tenths off Oscar in S1 isn't going to cut it.

Planet F1 report - https://www.planetf1.com/news/spanish-g ... fp3-report
Meanwhile, his team-mate Piastri did a particular slow out-lap, almost crawling around the circuit. And then went purple, purple, and purple. A 1:12.913.

Makes sense because even with almost a lap of push prior to Lando going out again, 0.526 is a big gap. With 1.0 second up on Max, Red Bull have some work to do for qualifying this afternoon. I guess we've seen that movie before.....

Ive not seen Max pull this gap in fp3.

I e pect them to close up a little, but my feeling is that this will be Miami lite.

The onus is on the drivers to not mess up.

Here's a thought... what if this TD benefits the car that has the most mechanical grip....

I dont think this TD benefits McLaren. They would have just had the stiffer wing to start the season if that was the case.
I do however believe its effects on overall performance were vastly overestimated since last year. So far, I am being proven right, however not a single representative session has gone by yet, so I could still be eating my words after quali and the race.

Plus, we would have to wait a couple of races to fully confirm the effects (or the lack of) the TD has had.

[Cs98]

The TD is a big nothing. Or at least compared to the effect that temperature seems to have on McLaren vs the rest.

[mwillems]

Planet F1 report - https://www.planetf1.com/news/spanish-g ... fp3-report
Meanwhile, his team-mate Piastri did a particular slow out-lap, almost crawling around the circuit. And then went purple, purple, and purple. A 1:12.913.

Makes sense because even with almost a lap of push prior to Lando going out again, 0.526 is a big gap. With 1.0 second up on Max, Red Bull have some work to do for qualifying this afternoon. I guess we've seen that movie before.....

Ive not seen Max pull this gap in fp3.

I e pect them to close up a little, but my feeling is that this will be Miami lite.

The onus is on the drivers to not mess up.

Here's a thought... what if this TD benefits the car that has the most mechanical grip....

I dont think this TD benefits McLaren. They would have just had the stiffer wing to start the season if that was the case.
I do however believe its effects on overall performance were vastly overestimated since last year. So far, I am being proven right, however not a single representative session has gone by yet, so I could still be eating my words after quali and the race.

Plus, we would have to wait a couple of races to fully confirm the effects (or the lack of) the TD has had.

It's about who's better without the wing, undoubtedly everyone lost some benefit, but if the mechanical and aero baselines of one car is higher, and everyone's aeros baseline is slightly reduced by the same amount (for example), then couldn't the car with the bigger advantage to start then have a bigger relative advantage? There are always caveats of course.

Agree that we'll have to wait and see for several races.

But all I will put my name to for anyone who's been fixated on how the TD might retard a teams relative performance. It might do the opposite.

[Mansell89]

Did I see Oscar was 3 tenths up on the straights versus Lando over the lap in FP3?

Is that an engine setting thing or a set up issue?

[FittingMechanics]

7 tenths is quite a big gap to be explained by engine modes

It's the temperature, like in Jeddah. But here we won't be racing and qualifying at night.

yes, 47 degrees during push lap attempts, the hottest we've seen all year even beating FP3 in Jeddah. some of it has to be power difference though.

Current track temp - 49C.

[avantman]

It's the temperature, like in Jeddah. But here we won't be racing and qualifying at night.

yes, 47 degrees during push lap attempts, the hottest we've seen all year even beating FP3 in Jeddah. some of it has to be power difference though.

Current track temp - 49C.

will certainly be lower in an hour when it matters.