2025 McLaren F1 Team

[propercare]

Big mistake to pit the same lap as Verstappen, should have either waited one lap or gone one earlier.

If they (Lando) pitted earlier would have been behind Haas, if later would have lost on laptime. It was the situation behind that dictated the pit entry, that's why Max went when he did.

The tires were quite stable, no graining as predictable, no safety car, only way you could overtake was on track and Max was on the McLaren level.

[Chuckjr]

Why on earth did they not swap with 10 laps to go???? The race was still a possibility as Oscar seemed to be faster than Lando. At LEAST give him a shot.. Just swap back if Oscar cant take the lead. My god, what is Macca doing. smh,

[Emag]

Why on earth did they not swap with 10 laps to go???? The race was still a possibility as Oscar seemed to be faster than Lando. At LEAST give him a shot.. Just swap back if Oscar cant take the lead. My god, what is Macca doing. smh,

You know, the whole "Let them race" applies both ways right?
What makes you think Lando would just pull out of the way to give Oscar a shot at a race win, losing his WDC lead in the process while allowing Oscar to get closer too. If Oscar had that much more pace, he should have overtaken Lando on-track. If he couldn't overtake Lando on-track there's no way he was going to overtake Max anyway.

[Darth-Piekus]

All is ok. Both Mclarens will bounce back in Bahrain and this race will be forgotten. If the team needs to find more performance to the car to make it happen then so be it. I dont think having a faster car makes our drivers not deserving of a WDC title.

[bauc]

Missed opportunity for another 1-2 and what a boring race, I expected so much more, but then again, this is Suzuka, and in this conditions (no tire wear at all) it was doomed from the start.

Overall solid weekend for us, onto the next one!

Mclaren!

[mwillems]

I skipped through most of that.

Not really sure what the team could have done, the Red Bull pace was comparable they were very evenly matched with no degradation again.

Oscar pitted first because he was losing time.

But, if did come to qualifying and Max and Red Bull were better.

Plenty of options in the stuff you ignored

Split the strategy was the obvious one. Lando shouldn't have pushed before his stop and gone longer hoping cold hard tyres and traffic might net first.

Other than that, it's clear that a drivers championship in orange needs more from these drivers.

[Ben1980]

Why on earth did they not swap with 10 laps to go???? The race was still a possibility as Oscar seemed to be faster than Lando. At LEAST give him a shot.. Just swap back if Oscar cant take the lead. My god, what is Macca doing. smh,

If Oscar can't overtake Lando, what indicates he would pass Max?

[Ben1980]

I skipped through most of that.

Not really sure what the team could have done, the Red Bull pace was comparable they were very evenly matched with no degradation again.

Oscar pitted first because he was losing time.

But, if did come to qualifying and Max and Red Bull were better.

Plenty of options in the stuff you ignored

Split the strategy was the obvious one. Lando shouldn't have pushed before his stop and gone longer hoping cold hard tyres and traffic might net first.

Other than that, it's clear that a drivers championship in orange needs more from these drivers.

Didn't ignore, just watched some on fast speed.

According to Stella just now, staying out just wouldn't be quicker, would have lost time, it wasn't quicker.

I guess with Oscar losing time the lap before his stop, and saying his tyres were struggling, not sure there was much in them.

[CjC]

This is a fair assessment for Mclaren:

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/winn ... prix-2025/

[mwillems]

I skipped through most of that.

Not really sure what the team could have done, the Red Bull pace was comparable they were very evenly matched with no degradation again.

Oscar pitted first because he was losing time.

But, if did come to qualifying and Max and Red Bull were better.

Plenty of options in the stuff you ignored

Split the strategy was the obvious one. Lando shouldn't have pushed before his stop and gone longer hoping cold hard tyres and traffic might net first.

Other than that, it's clear that a drivers championship in orange needs more from these drivers.

Didn't ignore, just watched some on fast speed.

According to Stella just now, staying out just wouldn't be quicker, would have lost time, it wasn't quicker.

I guess with Oscar losing time the lap before his stop, and saying his tyres were struggling, not sure there was much in them.

But if you look at Antonelli he was only 6 tenths slower than Lando when he was 4 laps on the hards and Lando didn't have traffic like Max who was a little slower.

It doesn't feel as cut and dry as Stella says and I think he's protecting his team, as a good TP would.

If Norris had not pushed until Max had pit then I think he might have got it, even a couple of tenths was enough if you look at where they come out at the stops because of Max slow pit.

It might not have worked but it was a better chance than what they did.

They just didn't want to advtange one driver over the other I think.

[Ben1980]

Plenty of options in the stuff you ignored

Split the strategy was the obvious one. Lando shouldn't have pushed before his stop and gone longer hoping cold hard tyres and traffic might net first.

Other than that, it's clear that a drivers championship in orange needs more from these drivers.

Didn't ignore, just watched some on fast speed.

According to Stella just now, staying out just wouldn't be quicker, would have lost time, it wasn't quicker.

I guess with Oscar losing time the lap before his stop, and saying his tyres were struggling, not sure there was much in them.

But if you look at Antonelli he was only 6 tenths slower than Lando when he was 4 laps on the hards and Lando didn't have traffic like Max who was a little slower.

It doesn't feel as cut and dry as Stella says and I think he's protecting his team, as a good TP would.

If Norris had not pushed until Max had pit then I think he might have got it, even a couple of tenths was enough if you look at where they come out at the stops because of Max slow pit.

It might not have worked but it was a better chance than what they did.

They just didn't want to advtange one driver over the other I think.

I guess, in Landos shoes he doesn't want to risk a guaranteed second. Especially as he would still be ahead on the title. And knowing that Piastri would get past him.

Also I'm not sure he couldn't push as Oscar was pushing behind him.

[CjC]

Fans and pundits won’t criticise a team for trying an undercut but stopping on the same lap deserves all the criticism they will receive.
If you recall they got last seasons strategy wrong at Suzuka as well when Norris pitted for his second stop on the same lap as Leclerc’s first stop

[Emag]

This is a fair assessment for Mclaren:

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/winn ... prix-2025/

I disagree with that assessment. The P2 was in the bag regardless and pitting at the same lap as the car ahead never works out for the car behind. They should have tried the extension. Oscar had to pit because he fell off at the end there, but Lando kept having good pace.

The swap though, which apparently a lot of people are pointing out, was never going to happen. Even if McLaren asked for it, Lando would object. At least I know I would. What kind of driver willingly gives up a championship lead + more points against both of his rivals, to give his teammate a chance at a win.

[Ben1980]

Fans and pundits won’t criticise a team for trying an undercut but stopping on the same lap deserves all the criticism they will receive.
If you recall they got last seasons strategy wrong at Suzuka as well when Norris pitted for his second stop on the same lap as Leclerc’s first stop

But Horner said the undercut wasn't powerful, and Piastri didn't really make much of an impact when he stopped earlier.

The only option was to go long, but then Stella says that was slower.

[mwillems]

Didn't ignore, just watched some on fast speed.

According to Stella just now, staying out just wouldn't be quicker, would have lost time, it wasn't quicker.

I guess with Oscar losing time the lap before his stop, and saying his tyres were struggling, not sure there was much in them.

But if you look at Antonelli he was only 6 tenths slower than Lando when he was 4 laps on the hards and Lando didn't have traffic like Max who was a little slower.

It doesn't feel as cut and dry as Stella says and I think he's protecting his team, as a good TP would.

If Norris had not pushed until Max had pit then I think he might have got it, even a couple of tenths was enough if you look at where they come out at the stops because of Max slow pit.

It might not have worked but it was a better chance than what they did.

They just didn't want to advtange one driver over the other I think.

I guess, in Landos shoes he doesn't want to risk a guaranteed second. Especially as he would still be ahead on the title. And knowing that Piastri would get past him.

Also I'm not sure he couldn't push as Oscar was pushing behind him.

The team can instruct the hold on the basis that strategy might reach for a win. Lando earned that call by being in front. I really do think they were just playing happy families.

At some point these guys will need to.play rough and I think it's about time this team tucked its skirt in and got into the fight.