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I think lack of running of softs is what cost them. The medium was a --- tire for everyone. Even Norris pace is not that great given the McLaren inherently had a pace advantage especially on the mediums.venkyhere wrote: ↑29 Oct 2025, 09:04While we are discussing the gamut of 'possible favourable outcomes in the next 4 races' at length ; what we should discuss instead is 'what floor is going to be used henceforth, the mexico one or the monza one ?' , because after looking at a picture posted in the car thread, the change done on the Mexico floor seems 'too big' compared to the Monza floor.
https://d3cm515ijfiu6w.cloudfront.net/w ... arison.jpg
Monza floor's diffuser kickup starts beneath the 'hexagon' sticker location, while the Mexico floor's diffuser kickup starts beneath the 'HD' sticker location. Basically, a 'longer' venturi neck in the old has been shortened in the new, to increase the effective diffuser 'volume' but making the expansion 'gentler'. That is an enormous change (perhaps this is an old RB20 or early RB21 floor circled back into the pool ?) -- no wonder they struggled and didn't achieve the optimal setup in Mexico (perhaps Max missing FP1 did more damage than they expected or perhaps they are again 'away from the sweet spot' without the Monza floor).
What floor(s) are they going to use in the next four races ? I think that will be the turnkey, rather than relative driver performances across teams.
PS : in my opinion, if they get the new floor to work, it will be mega, as seen in the laptimes Max was posting on softs in the last stint of Mexico GP - the gills opened up on the engine cover basically destroy the air that is hitting the rear DF structures (a problem that was minimal for Mclaren), apart from increasing drag of course. Which means the reason Max's softs lasted for 33+ (or 32 or whatever) number of laps (like they did for Norris in his first stint), can't be all be because of 'driver expertise' , the car still had proper downforce in the rear, and the share of rear DF that was coming from the floor had to be more.
Statistically speaking, sprint weekends favor Max despite the apparent downsides.
It's simply reflective of how others need time to get their eyes in versus Max who's on the limit from the get go.
Max is the King of sprint races and with two sprint race weekends remaining in the season, this might prove to be difference in deciding the drivers' championship.
Thus being the King of sprint races, you are actually agreeing with him.
A historic moment for Brazilian automobile!
I think one of the key factors in whether Max can catch Lando (and Oscar, though I tend to agree with those saying Oscar's lack of form lately makes Lando the favourite McLaren driver) is how Mercedes go in Vegas.Farnborough wrote: ↑30 Oct 2025, 11:22It can't really be predicted further than reasonable observation in McL holding the upper hand currently is definite.
With low team mate contribution here, its something in the way of more difficultly with race strategy etc as Yuki unlikely to be in points "adjustment" position in affecting the two McL drivers.
It'll only take, metaphorically speaking, one team to sneeze or scratch their arrrrse at the wrong moment and provoke a significant shift in points gap to positive or negative substantial determinant.
The recent races have shown us that spiky variable giving rise to MV renaissance.
Both team, in trying to chase every single advantage, even small one's, can run more risk into each scenario than they'd ultimately like to "wear" given less tense circumstances.
It is what a season needs in coming to a crescendo though, whichever is your favoured driver.
