2025 McLaren F1 Team

[FittingMechanics]

McLaren got WCC already. Are they sabotaging Piastri now? Suddenly he can't match Norris at all and doesn't feel good with the car?

I'm not sure McLaren wants to risk losing the WDC to Max, but sure, maybe they are sabotaging their driver leading the championship.

Sabotage also looks exactly like his pace last year. Managing tires at the edge was not his strength.

[Jurgen von Diaz]

McLaren isn't so much into WDC, but if they are going to win it, they would want to win it for their own junior and Zak's favorite child, Lando.

[Badger]

As we've said here, stewards are free to punish Lando (or Max) if they impede in qualifying. That is clear.

How would you feel if McLaren mechanics went out at removed pit position markers from Red Bull box? Or just changed their orientation?

It is clear what is normal and what is being intentionally unsportsmanlike. Removing anything that the other team put that is allowed (and doesn't affect anyone else) is not acceptable.

My takeaway from this is that process is really important when it comes to “accidental” impeding, I.e. if the stewards don’t have a problem with it there’s no problem at all. But when it comes to removing tape from a wall, now we must suddenly take a moral stance that it’s “not acceptable”, despite the fact that it’s not explicitly against the rules and the stewards never punished anyone for doing it.

You say that it’s “clear what is normal and what is being intentionally unsportsmanlike”. I would argue it’s very much influenced by perspective and personal feelings towards the actors involved.

[FittingMechanics]

As we've said here, stewards are free to punish Lando (or Max) if they impede in qualifying. That is clear.

How would you feel if McLaren mechanics went out at removed pit position markers from Red Bull box? Or just changed their orientation?

It is clear what is normal and what is being intentionally unsportsmanlike. Removing anything that the other team put that is allowed (and doesn't affect anyone else) is not acceptable.

My takeaway from this is that process is really important when it comes to “accidental” impeding, I.e. if the stewards don’t have a problem with it there’s no problem at all. But when it comes to removing tape from a wall, now we must suddenly take a moral stance that it’s “not acceptable”, despite the fact that it’s not explicitly against the rules and the stewards never punished anyone for doing it.

You say that it’s “clear what is normal and what is being intentionally unsportsmanlike”. I would argue it’s very much influenced by perspective and personal feelings towards the actors involved.

Not true at all. Is it possible that Red Bull mechanic by mistake reentered the track and by mistake tried to remove the tape? How is that not intentional and not unsportsmanlike?

In regards to impeding, sure, I agree that it is unsportsmanlike as well. I would prefer if McLaren drivers did not try and impede others. I don't think they really did that on purpose, I could be wrong, but I wasn't convinced in Singapore. If they impede they should be penalized.

[Badger]

As we've said here, stewards are free to punish Lando (or Max) if they impede in qualifying. That is clear.

How would you feel if McLaren mechanics went out at removed pit position markers from Red Bull box? Or just changed their orientation?

It is clear what is normal and what is being intentionally unsportsmanlike. Removing anything that the other team put that is allowed (and doesn't affect anyone else) is not acceptable.

My takeaway from this is that process is really important when it comes to “accidental” impeding, I.e. if the stewards don’t have a problem with it there’s no problem at all. But when it comes to removing tape from a wall, now we must suddenly take a moral stance that it’s “not acceptable”, despite the fact that it’s not explicitly against the rules and the stewards never punished anyone for doing it.

You say that it’s “clear what is normal and what is being intentionally unsportsmanlike”. I would argue it’s very much influenced by perspective and personal feelings towards the actors involved.

Not true at all. Is it possible that Red Bull mechanic by mistake reentered the track and by mistake tried to remove the tape? How is that not intentional and not unsportsmanlike?

In regards to impeding, sure, I agree that it is unsportsmanlike as well. I would prefer if McLaren drivers did not try and impede others. I don't think they really did that on purpose, I could be wrong, but I wasn't convinced in Singapore. If they impede they should be penalized.

So as long as you maintain a sliver of plausible deniability when you are engaging in shenanigans, it’s as if it never happened?

Maybe you feel that way, but I don’t think RB should pretend like Lando is some rube who can be warned 5 times over the radio there’s someone coming and still ends up getting in the way at the worst place possible, on one of the more important laps of the year.

Lando played the game, RB can play it too.

[Darth-Piekus]

Eh. There are worse. Like a driver intentionally hitting another driver and not getting black flagged from the race and an one race ban. Its the worst someone can do.

[Ben1980]

McLaren isn't so much into WDC, but if they are going to win it, they would want to win it for their own junior and Zak's favorite child, Lando.

Do you think they hypnotised Oscar into crashing and losing a bunch of points? So Lando could get closer?

[SilviuAgo]

This I was afraid off, that Darth-Piekus will see we have a new comer on the forum and said to pay a visit on McLaren threat praising his bellowed Max and stirring up the sh*t.
For me is still hard to understand this kind o people but I already put him on the ignored list. It's not worth it.

[FittingMechanics]

So as long as you maintain a sliver of plausible deniability when you are engaging in shenanigans, it’s as if it never happened?

Maybe you feel that way, but I don’t think RB should pretend like Lando is some rube who can be warned 5 times over the radio there’s someone coming and still ends up getting in the way at the worst place possible, on one of the more important laps of the year.

Lando played the game, RB can play it too.

Please stop twisting it. I did not say you are fine if you maintain a sliver of plausible deniability. If Norris impeded Norris, even with "deniability" he should have been penalized. To my eye on one video I watched it did not look that it was impeding but I could be wrong.

What Red Bull did here is not comparable in any way. It is petty, unsportsmanlike and clearly intentional.

[basti313]

If Norris impeded Norris, even with "deniability" he should have been penalized.

Yep. Norris mainly impeded himself this weekend.

To my eye on one video I watched it did not look that it was impeding but I could be wrong.

It is better to watch with two eyes before discussing.

What Red Bull did here is not comparable in any way. It is petty, unsportsmanlike and clearly intentional.

Sneaky. I would call it sneaky.
It is not their wall or their premises. I would also remove it. The comparisons here to pit box markings are nonsense, they just slapped grey tape somewhere on the marketing banner on the main straight.

What I did not get: Was it now really removed or are we discussing nonsense?

[Balalu]

McLaren got WCC already. Are they sabotaging Piastri now? Suddenly he can't match Norris at all and doesn't feel good with the car?

You're competing for the Stupid Comment of the Day award?

[Darth-Piekus]

This I was afraid off, that Darth-Piekus will see we have a new comer on the forum and said to pay a visit on McLaren threat praising his bellowed Max and stirring up the sh*t.
For me is still hard to understand this kind o people but I already put him on the ignored list. It's not worth it.

Im cool no worries. Came online as I was doing my work break noticing the message. My response was just an example from the many that happened in the past. From Prost to Senna and Schumacher.

[Balalu]

Apparently it's not the first time RedBull have tempered with the marker/tape.

[Balalu]

McLaren isn't so much into WDC, but if they are going to win it, they would want to win it for their own junior and Zak's favorite child, Lando.

If you try a little harder, you might even win the Joker of the Year award.

[Badger]

So as long as you maintain a sliver of plausible deniability when you are engaging in shenanigans, it’s as if it never happened?

Maybe you feel that way, but I don’t think RB should pretend like Lando is some rube who can be warned 5 times over the radio there’s someone coming and still ends up getting in the way at the worst place possible, on one of the more important laps of the year.

Lando played the game, RB can play it too.

Please stop twisting it. I did not say you are fine if you maintain a sliver of plausible deniability. If Norris impeded Norris, even with "deniability" he should have been penalized. To my eye on one video I watched it did not look that it was impeding but I could be wrong.

What Red Bull did here is not comparable in any way. It is petty, unsportsmanlike and clearly intentional.

If you believe that Norris did what he did intentionally there’s no moral difference. I believe it was intentional, after watching the onboard with comms it just seemed naive to pretend otherwise. We know RB feels the same way. You may not feel that way, but we all act according to our own beliefs. Either way, I accept that Lando’s impeding didn’t rise to the formal level required for a penalty, the same way you should accept that there’s no rule prohibiting another team from removing McLaren’s driver aid tape from the pit wall.

I’ll leave it there.