2017 Mclaren F1 Team - Honda

[Soichiro]

To give an information, they are saying that these days it is very hot, about 7° C more than the weekend. That is why the journalists say that the track does not improve. (If I'm wrong, correct me)

The track improves (more rubber, higher temp) - unless higher temps would get them above the working temp of course, but hotter air should be worse for the engines.

Lower track temps are generally better for fastest laps.

I guess there is a limit but in go-karts hotter track resulted in better traction - you could feel much higher Gs while cornering (sometimes unable to take a normal breath while in the long corner) whereas colder air made the engine "easier to rev".

[godlameroso]

Track temperatures over a certain threshold are worse for aero, maybe not so much for the tires this year. Hotter track temperatures create hotter boundary layer of less dense air over the track, which has a negative effect on the front wing and diffuser.

[Bence]

The track was über-hot today, and the drivers were balancing on the kife's edge. If you can feel the subtle difference between stick & smear, well, you got the picture of today's track conditions.

Basically everyone was a bit loose at the rear; most notably Vettel and Kubica (one spin in Turn 1). The Sauber's front setup was a nightmare; lots of inside front lockups, ugly understeer under braking/trailing throttle. Too much roll stiffness IMO.

McH looked extremely good. It was stable, smooth and the genetic extract of Chuck Norris & Lando Calrissian was sublime. Great consistency, superb feel; an absolutely futureproof guy!

[Manoah2u]

Not that i'm throwing Norris out the window, but the same was said about Stoffel, and well, honestly, watching plaster dry and crumble from a cieling gets more exciting than him imho. will wait and see.

[ZakB]

Do the right thing McLaren, replace Vandoorne with Norris before Spa.

[godlameroso]

His race pace isn't bad, when he was in clean air he was actually faster than Alonso, he spent the majority of the race behind traffic. He's clearly faster than Button, like I've said, he definitely has things he needs to work on, but he's not slow, just makes rookie mistakes.

[GoranF1]

His race pace isn't bad, when he was in clean air he was actually faster than Alonso, he spent the majority of the race behind traffic. He's clearly faster than Button, like I've said, he definitely has things he needs to work on, but he's not slow, just makes rookie mistakes.

Noone is faster than Alonso.

[j2004p]

He's clearly faster than Button

sorry but nothing Vandoorne has done this season so far has suggested that he's doing anything better than Button would have done from the start of the season.

[kaepernickus]

His race pace isn't bad, when he was in clean air he was actually faster than Alonso, he spent the majority of the race behind traffic. He's clearly faster than Button, like I've said, he definitely has things he needs to work on, but he's not slow, just makes rookie mistakes.

You can stop trying. Some people here have made up their mind that Vandoorne is McLaren's second evil right behind Honda.

Funny thing is now some guys want Norris in the car for 2018, but dare he being off a few tenths of Alonso in his first half season...

[JonoNic]

His race pace isn't bad, when he was in clean air he was actually faster than Alonso, he spent the majority of the race behind traffic. He's clearly faster than Button, like I've said, he definitely has things he needs to work on, but he's not slow, just makes rookie mistakes.

You can stop trying. Some people here have made up their mind that Vandoorne is McLaren's second evil right behind Honda.

Funny thing is now some guys want Norris in the car for 2018, but dare he being off a few tenths of Alonso in his first half season...

Hamilton will soon be the only British driver in F1 with Palmer failing to impress. Norris will fill the void, he's already deemed a future champion after this test.

[adrianjordan]

His race pace isn't bad, when he was in clean air he was actually faster than Alonso, he spent the majority of the race behind traffic. He's clearly faster than Button, like I've said, he definitely has things he needs to work on, but he's not slow, just makes rookie mistakes.

I'm happy to give Vandoorne a chance, but "clearly faster than Button"?? Please, he may be faster than the Button who has checked out of F1 and stepped in to do Monaco without having driven the car before, but if Jenson had done a full pre-season test and all the races up to that point, then he would be much closer to Alonso.

[Chicane]

I rate Vandoorne and expect him to improve but at this point he is clearly no way faster than Button was against Alonso

[Kalun]

We have to give Vandoorne until early next year to adapt with his machinery and gain track experience. I've been following his Super formula race last year. He is not good when he is on the track that he never race before. But on the second round on the same track, he got podium and 1st place.
I was disappointed that he could not prove himself in Bahrain because his HONDA engine let him down.

[Jef Patat]

You can stop trying. Some people here have made up their mind that Vandoorne is McLaren's second evil right behind Honda.

It's getting boring indeed, I have stopped, it has become page filling.

[ZakB]

We have to give Vandoorne until early next year to adapt with his machinery and gain track experience. I've been following his Super formula race last year. He is not good when he is on the track that he never race before. But on the second round on the same track, he got podium and 1st place.
I was disappointed that he could not prove himself in Bahrain because his HONDA engine let him down.

I would give him to the end of the season, but I highly doubt that he will be anywhere close Alonso. Vandoorne has won his titles against losers.