2026 McLaren Mastercard F1 Team

This forum contains threads to discuss teams themselves. Anything not technical about the cars, including restructuring, performances etc belongs here.
User avatar
Darth-Piekus
-1
Joined: 28 Apr 2018, 15:27
Location: Greece

Re: 2026 McLaren Mastercard F1 Team

Post

You never know what might happen mwillems. Perhaps the team has improved in that area compared to Spa and we might be surprised. Not to mention Antonelli starts from so much behind, Russell isn't as good as Antonelli and the Ferraris do have a deficit in top speed and tend to screw their better driver this season(though they will have a new engine there).

Make no mistake, I also don't think we are gonna be as good as Zandvoort and Hungaroring but perhaps the team might surprise us.

User avatar
AR3-GP
640
Joined: 06 Jul 2021, 01:22

Re: 2026 McLaren Mastercard F1 Team

Post

I think Lando will finish 3rd or better in the WDC.
Beware of T-Rex

User avatar
mwillems
48
Joined: 04 Sep 2016, 22:11

Re: 2026 McLaren Mastercard F1 Team

Post

Darth-Piekus wrote:
31 Aug 2026, 08:34
You never know what might happen mwillems. Perhaps the team has improved in that area compared to Spa and we might be surprised. Not to mention Antonelli starts from so much behind, Russell isn't as good as Antonelli and the Ferraris do have a deficit in top speed and tend to screw their better driver this season(though they will have a new engine there).

Make no mistake, I also don't think we are gonna be as good as Zandvoort and Hungaroring but perhaps the team might surprise us.
Well, I didn't rule anything out. In fact I said this was a test of the upgrade. One the previous tracks haven't offered. Pure efficiency.

We may well win. Pre upgrade we would not have, and I don't think we'd have been podium worthy.

I think we will be competitive at Monza, I'm not sure we'll get pole. When you condider we were closer to.half a second off at Spa, we weren't really that close to Merc even though we were third, pre penalty. This track would have suited us less than Spa.

We'll see how it suits this car.
I'm not taking advice from a cartoon dog

-Bandit

User avatar
Darth-Piekus
-1
Joined: 28 Apr 2018, 15:27
Location: Greece

Re: 2026 McLaren Mastercard F1 Team

Post

In race pace though we had a chance for the win if we take in mind Norris's rythm. The only reason that didnt happen was because Norris started from way back.

User avatar
mwillems
48
Joined: 04 Sep 2016, 22:11

Re: 2026 McLaren Mastercard F1 Team

Post

Darth-Piekus wrote:
31 Aug 2026, 17:15
In race pace though we had a chance for the win if we take in mind Norris's rythm. The only reason that didnt happen was because Norris started from way back.
He was fast, and a podium contender without the penalty. I.personally do not think he coukd have won. He couldn't have run the same pit strategy if actually in third. He cam alive when he had 13 lap fresher med tyres at the end.
I'm not taking advice from a cartoon dog

-Bandit

User avatar
AR3-GP
640
Joined: 06 Jul 2021, 01:22

Re: 2026 McLaren Mastercard F1 Team

Post

mwillems wrote:
01 Sep 2026, 00:01
He cam alive when he had 13 lap fresher med tyres at the end.
That was the result of being able to run a very long first stint without losing pace, which is showing the latent performance of the car and driver.

Image

What we are seeing from Lando Norris started in Silverstone, not Spa. It was the first stint with "negative degradation" that I had seen, then I knew Mclaren was back. Others seemed to only pick up on it in Spa. Others only woke up in Hungary when they actually won the race, but it's been brewing since Silverstone.
Image


It's worth remembering that Silverstone was a sprint weekend and Mclaren brought some floor upgrades that weekend. Mclaren tend to struggle with setting up the car when they have new parts and only 1 hours to set up the car.
Beware of T-Rex

User avatar
mwillems
48
Joined: 04 Sep 2016, 22:11

Re: 2026 McLaren Mastercard F1 Team

Post

I deed, whst I'm saying is that tbe strategy wouldn't have been viable further up the field.
I'm not taking advice from a cartoon dog

-Bandit

User avatar
AR3-GP
640
Joined: 06 Jul 2021, 01:22

Re: 2026 McLaren Mastercard F1 Team

Post

mwillems wrote:
01 Sep 2026, 01:27
I deed, whst I'm saying is that tbe strategy wouldn't have been viable further up the field.
strategy is strategy. The potential of the car and driver is what we should focus on. Other cars on the same strategy as Lando would have been slower, in my opinion.
Beware of T-Rex

User avatar
Darth-Piekus
-1
Joined: 28 Apr 2018, 15:27
Location: Greece

Re: 2026 McLaren Mastercard F1 Team

Post

I still believe that Norris could have a chance of a win if he started much higher.

User avatar
SilviuAgo
206
Joined: 15 Aug 2020, 16:08

Re: 2026 McLaren Mastercard F1 Team

Post

interesting analysis in what is going wrong for Oscar.

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/what ... r-piastri/

and happy birthday to Carlo55ainz =D>

Image

Macklaren
Macklaren
14
Joined: 23 Feb 2014, 16:26

Re: 2026 McLaren Mastercard F1 Team

Post

Minor livery tweak for Monza and Madrid

MCL40's fresh look - https://mclaren.sh ... 236f7a5898

McLarenMor
McLarenMor
4
Joined: 24 Jan 2011, 21:59

Re: 2026 McLaren Mastercard F1 Team

Post

It hurts so much that the Mastercard logo is not centered in the black stripe

CjC
CjC
20
Joined: 03 Jul 2012, 20:13

Re: 2026 McLaren Mastercard F1 Team

Post

Mclaren confirm H-wing for Monza:

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/mcla ... /10851399/

There are also some aerodynamic and low drag upgrades as well. Also more upgrades to come in the future :mrgreen:
Just a fan's point of view*

*statement was relevant when the forum had a high level of intelligence. Now we are just equals.