2026 McLaren Mastercard F1 Team

[Emag]

I could only follow quali from live timing in my phone today and that last lap came out of nowhere. I wasn't even paying attention to Lando as I was following Max against Kimi when bam he puts in pole. Didn't expect him to be in the second row even, let alone pole. Just had the chance to look at some telemetry right now and it's even crazier. Where the hell did he hide 6 tenths in the first sector to pull it out in that last lap. The rest of the lap was very impressive as well, but within the margins of what I would think to be reasonable for a driver like Lando to gain between lap 1 and lap 2 in Q3. But 6 tenths in S1? Crazy stuff honestly.

[LionsHeart]

To be honest, I’m really surprised. Given how the free practice sessions went—and the fact that he missed the second session—I was wondering if Lando might struggle to keep pace with Oscar in qualifying. The first and second segments played out more or less as I had initially expected. But on his second run in Q3, Lando produced an incredible turn of speed. His final corner was a bit messy, yet it was still enough to secure pole position.

Can there really still be anyone who doubts Lando's abilities? Isn't that pure talent? Hasn't he earned the right to be world champion? I think a lot of Lando's haters are eating his dust. That was a lap worthy of a reigning world champion. Bravo!

The way he is performing this year is an answer to those who so eagerly pelted him with rotten eggs and tomatoes in previous seasons. It is difficult to predict how the race will unfold and how successfully a one-stop strategy can be executed. If the weather remains hot, Lando stands a chance.

[Ground Effect]

Wow! Lando! That was very Charles Leclerc. He's really made a step forward following his title. He's making a big difference behind the wheel. No FP2? No problem.

[Darth-Piekus]

More like a Lewis Hamilton, Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher. Leclerc hasnt proven to me hes in that level yet. I still am trying to find out how he found 7 to 8 tenths because that is how much it was if we dont count the mistake.

[FittingMechanics]

Piastri had more as well, his first (faster) lap was on used softs.

Looks like both drivers nailed just one of the laps. Car is hard to drive here.

I knew Lando had something great as soon as they showed him in the small screen, ignoring all other cars.

[Ground Effect]

More like a Lewis Hamilton, Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher. Leclerc hasnt proven to me hes in that level yet. I still am trying to find out how he found 7 to 8 tenths because that is how much it was if we dont count the mistake.

Pound for pound, in recent times, I think Charles has gotten the .most shock poles. He springs up when he's not even a contender for pole. The people you just mentioned almost always had a pole contender car for the weekend. I don't think after FP3 anyone fancied a McLaren for pole. I'm in no way putting Charles on the same level as the guys you mentioned, but he has been known to steal a shock pole quite a few times when not even fancied.

[Darth-Piekus]

I agree.

[Mcl_G10]

Piastri 7th and nearly half a second back.

At this point are we better off having a bonifide 2nd driver instead? Will piastri ever be good enough to challenge for a WDC? I doubt it. Id rather have someone in that car that is good but knows they are no2 and will not hamper the no1 driver.

Sorry I know its likely an unpopular opinion.

[Ground Effect]

Piastri 7th and nearly half a second back.

At this point are we better off having a bonifide 2nd driver instead? Will piastri ever be good enough to challenge for a WDC? I doubt it. Id rather have someone in that car that is good but knows they are no2 and will not hamper the no1 driver.

Sorry I know its likely an unpopular opinion.

I thought he challenged last year?

[Darth-Piekus]

Piastri 7th and nearly half a second back.

At this point are we better off having a bonifide 2nd driver instead? Will piastri ever be good enough to challenge for a WDC? I doubt it. Id rather have someone in that car that is good but knows they are no2 and will not hamper the no1 driver.

Sorry I know its likely an unpopular opinion.

Fernando Alonso anyone?

[Ground Effect]

Piastri 7th and nearly half a second back.

At this point are we better off having a bonifide 2nd driver instead? Will piastri ever be good enough to challenge for a WDC? I doubt it. Id rather have someone in that car that is good but knows they are no2 and will not hamper the no1 driver.

Sorry I know its likely an unpopular opinion.

Fernando Alonso anyone?

Nah, the jinx thing used to be a silly and sometimes funny joke, but it's happened too often. He's had 2 spells with the team. The first cost them a $100M fine. The 2nd, $120M in wages, with a couple of P5's. I'm not saying it's all his fault, but chaos just seems to follow him. He's 46 next year, not worth the risk of the famous jinx.

[avantman]

Didn’t they both run their first Q3 runs on a used set? I’m not sure why people are so surprised to see a car that started from pole twice in the past three rounds on pole again.

Oscar himself literally said that his second—and only Q3 lap on new tyres—was horrendous and full of mistakes. Norris made a mistake worth three tenths according to the team’s data, as Stella pointed out. And now we’re pretending that McLaren isn’t the fastest car over one lap on a track like this, and that it’s just Lando suddenly pulling a Senna lap time time after time again.
And by the way, Norris gained only just over three and a half tenths in S1 on his pole lap compared with his best lap in Q2. And I’m not sure whether he was running on new or used tyres for that Q2 lap. Still a lot, but nothing close to the six tenths someone was talking about.

[lh13]

More like a Lewis Hamilton, Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher. Leclerc hasnt proven to me hes in that level yet. I still am trying to find out how he found 7 to 8 tenths because that is how much it was if we dont count the mistake.

Have you seen the no. of poles Charles has, while driving less than ideal cars?

[FittingMechanics]

Didn’t they both run their first Q3 runs on a used set? I’m not sure why people are so surprised to see a car that started from pole twice in the past three rounds on pole again.

Oscar himself literally said that his second—and only Q3 lap on new tyres—was horrendous and full of mistakes. Norris made a mistake worth three tenths according to the team’s data, as Stella pointed out. And now we’re pretending that McLaren isn’t the fastest car over one lap on a track like this, and that it’s just Lando suddenly pulling a Senna lap time time after time again.
And by the way, Norris gained only just over three and a half tenths in S1 on his pole lap compared with his best lap in Q2. And I’m not sure whether he was running on new or used tyres for that Q2 lap. Still a lot, but nothing close to the six tenths someone was talking about.

No, team stream (app) said Norris was on new softs for the first run while Piastri was on used. This was because Norris had better lap in Q2 and went out on used for a second run in Q2 (again team stream).

I haven't done visual checks.

[bauc]

What a lap by Norris,..... can we win tomorrow if we have a clean start?