This forum contains threads to discuss teams themselves. Anything not technical about the cars, including restructuring, performances etc belongs here.
Agreed, we are slower in S1 and 2 than I'd thought, I expected us to lead. I can't see us getting close in S3, which was my point from previously, it's too big a gap to surmount.
It's also one of the few overtaking spots in the race, and we won't be doing a great deal on that straight...
S3 of the McLarens is a ruse. Mclaren have a Mercedes engine and the H wing. They are not behind Cadillacs and Haas.
They are running their own plan with the fuel tank of Hormuz onboard. Marshall said the upgrades work. Teams don't invest in change like this without significant performance benefits. If you take the pace that Lando has shown in the last GPs and then add an update that's probably more than 3 tenths against a static Mercedes, then you can already make an initial forecast. We just have to be patient. We were told that this package is going to address the slow corners and aero efficiency. Marshall said it all looks good. So I'm not concerned about S3.
Last edited by AR3-GP on 24 Sep 2026, 19:46, edited 1 time in total.
All those of you looking at S3 times and thinking McLaren can't be on pole, are in for a surprise for Q and R.
McLaren is doing their best to not show the straighline performance with the new package, by running into the pitlane at the end of a quali sim lap in FP.
They can't fool everyone. McLaren used to do this with Norris in 2025 as well. Honestly, it's getting boring and very predictable. They aren't fooling anyone.
I expect a Norris pole, the car is a monster in the 90 degree bends of S1 and S2. No amount of Norris' "we are miserable" play acting in front of the media is going to help. Mclaren needs to remove the movie screenplay writer and put an actual PR trainer for their drivers.
