2026 McLaren Mastercard F1 Team

[renault rs26]

The car looked strong here. I'd go so far as to say we'll be good anywhere except where there is an excess of straights.

Vegas and Baku will be struggles. Parts of Baku will be good but S3 will be a killer.

However, with longer gears and a longer wheelbase to make the car more rounded, this car might have been a consistent challenger for podiums without winning.

The chassis and aero still has work to do, it's just that those fixed traits flatter the performance on certain tracks.

That's very much worth remembering. We're not quite as close as we'd like, just yet.

McLaren was the dominant car in 3 of the last 4 races.

[mwillems]

The car looked strong here. I'd go so far as to say we'll be good anywhere except where there is an excess of straights.

Vegas and Baku will be struggles. Parts of Baku will be good but S3 will be a killer.

However, with longer gears and a longer wheelbase to make the car more rounded, this car might have been a consistent challenger for podiums without winning.

The chassis and aero still has work to do, it's just that those fixed traits flatter the performance on certain tracks.

That's very much worth remembering. We're not quite as close as we'd like, just yet.

McLaren was the dominant car in 3 of the last 4 races.

Yes. With strong contribution for the reasons above.

[Macklaren]

The car looked strong here. I'd go so far as to say we'll be good anywhere except where there is an excess of straights.

Vegas and Baku will be struggles. Parts of Baku will be good but S3 will be a killer.

However, with longer gears and a longer wheelbase to make the car more rounded, this car might have been a consistent challenger for podiums without winning.

The chassis and aero still has work to do, it's just that those fixed traits flatter the performance on certain tracks.

That's very much worth remembering. We're not quite as close as we'd like, just yet.

McLaren was the dominant car in 3 of the last 4 races.

Yes. With strong contribution for the reasons above.

Big package coming next race and maccarena wing will be back so I think we'll be fine in Baku

[Ben1980]

You think he was building and keeping a 25 second gap on older mediums compared to new hards?

He would have been building a gap to Leclerc on old tires.

But, im not sure the medium tyres were as good as the hard tyres, even to the Ferrari. 25 seconds would have been a lot to manage.

[Slahinki]

The track is terrible for racing. I cant believe such incompetent people get the job to design it....

Unfortunately Lando had another load of bad luck. It is what it is. Good effort though.

I just don't understand how do they invest hundreds of millions into a circuit where there is NO possibility to overtake. Holy incompetence, crazy. What a horrible layout.

Corruption is how. Brought to you by the country that gave the world the equally useless Valencia circuit (and accompanying corruption scandal.)

[LionsHeart]

Yeah, that’s how it goes. Bad luck—or, conversely, good luck for the rivals. I’ll just say that tracks ought to allow for racing and overtaking. The fastest driver didn’t win; it’s truly ridiculous.

McLaren fans, hang in there!

[chengzhongyi2013]

World class drive by norris once again, nothing more he could have done, unlucky with the VSC ...thats racing sometimes. Impressed with the post race interview....last year would have been picking him up off the floor. His growth this year has been impressive to watch.

Agreed.

[Darth-Piekus]

Yeah, that’s how it goes. Bad luck—or, conversely, good luck for the rivals. I’ll just say that tracks ought to allow for racing and overtaking. The fastest driver didn’t win; it’s truly ridiculous.

McLaren fans, hang in there!

Dont you think that VSC was fishy? Stroll hadn't crashed and he could reverse. All they needed is a double yellow.

[FittingMechanics]

From a McLaren point of view, once the safety car had ended they should have left him out and run to the optimum one stop strategy

Absolutely. Pitting on green after a VSC is worst call possible, especially as he was not under threat of undercut.

If he stayed out he would build tire offset and leave potential of benefitting from VSC, SC or red flag or building a gap.

If Norris didnt stop, is he making up a big enough gap to cover either Kimi or Max. Im not sure. At best hes pitting into 3rd and hoping.

The problem is that what they did meant they lost any possibility of things working out in their favor.

[Dimond]

Can't wait for Stella's "We will learn from this mistake and come back stronger next time"

[FittingMechanics]

You think he was building and keeping a 25 second gap on older mediums compared to new hards?

He would have been building a gap to Leclerc on old tires.

But, im not sure the medium tyres were as good as the hard tyres, even to the Ferrari. 25 seconds would have been a lot to manage.

It is easy to say with hindsight that maybe it wouldn't have helped, but what they did was the worst.

Instead of Norris trying to build a gap or wait for lucky VSC or SC they let him lose 4-5 positions on a track that is Monaco.

It is truly mindboggling. If it was a mistake I can understand it, but if they thought that was the fastest way I don't know what to say.

[billamend]

Can't wait for Stella's "We will learn from this mistake and come back stronger next time"

Won’t even acknowledge the mistake. Will just say it was a timing bad luck.

[CjC]

Yea, personally, the should have given it a few laps after the VSC, see what the laps times are and at least build a 5 lap tyre offset, other than that, they were robbed

[Dimond]

Can't wait for Stella's "We will learn from this mistake and come back stronger next time"

Won’t even acknowledge the mistake. Will just say it was a timing bad luck.

Well, you called it.

[Sevach]

Yeah, that’s how it goes. Bad luck—or, conversely, good luck for the rivals. I’ll just say that tracks ought to allow for racing and overtaking. The fastest driver didn’t win; it’s truly ridiculous.

McLaren fans, hang in there!

There was time to call off the stop.

From a McLaren point of view, once the safety car had ended they should have left him out and run to the optimum one stop strategy

Absolutely. Pitting on green after a VSC is worst call possible, especially as he was not under threat of undercut.

If he stayed out he would build tire offset and leave potential of benefitting from VSC, SC or red flag or building a gap.

If Norris didnt stop, is he making up a big enough gap to cover either Kimi or Max. Im not sure. At best hes pitting into 3rd and hoping.

The problem is that what they did meant they lost any possibility of things working out in their favor.

It would've been Norris-Leclerc-Antonelli... all about putting 25s between himself and Antonelli.
At least it would mean Kimi maybe would want to try and pass Charles to be in control of his destiny, but easier said than done.

As it was Kimi just sat a safe distance from Charles while having Max as a buffer protecting him(and that's because Mercedes declined from using George to do that).