2019 Mclaren F1 Team - Renault

[Ground Effect]

Great video from onboards of Norris, Leclerc and Ricciardo from the start. Good driving by Lando. At one moment an Alfa almost took him out.

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/2019/ ... attle.html

Nice, Lando doesn’t have that much to improve, just the management part of his race craft. He’s no slouch, I’m very happy with his first year.

[izzy]

I think the criticism on Nando is a bit unfair. While a lot of people have mentioned how unlucky he had been this season, and how good he has been in qualifying, we should also note a few important things.

Even Verstappen was far from perfect in is first few seasons - crashing into others and kissing the barriers. In comparison, Lando has been more cautious and less damage prone in his first season. Tbf, both our drivers haven't spun a lot, crashed into barriers or damaged their front wings often with mistakes of their own in practice sessions and qualy/race. Even the drivers of the top teams have made such mistakes.

Further, they have been choosy and careful about their overtakes and the level of aggression needed. In contrast, a fine driver like Ricciardo who has fantastic race pace has often lost out often because of overtly aggressive and risky moves. Our boys have been much cleaner and careful. As someone pointed out before, Lando's problem has been tyre management. With more experience and less ill-fortune, I am confident that he will be up there with Sainz.

yes well said. I think Lando has been very smart, prioritising getting the mileage and experience to start with, even if it meant being pushed around, and then gradually toughening it up towards the end of the season. He has a very particular kind of confidence, about himself, who he is, and that's part of how he gets on so well with Carlos and in fact everyone

[BrunoH]

if someone said to me, do you want Alonso back in Mclaren, i wold pass. even if hes faster than the other 2 drivers. i think a lot of pressure was taken out of the team, and a think both did a great job with what they had. i said in pre-season testing for sure we are p4, or maybe p3.

Obviously we were not close to P3 but it was a solid P4, testing does play some tricks.
but im very happy with both drivers performance and the atmosphere they created in the team.

[stevesingo]

Great video from onboards of Norris, Leclerc and Ricciardo from the start. Good driving by Lando. At one moment an Alfa almost took him out.

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/2019/ ... attle.html

It looks like the out of shape Alfa compromised Lando's exit allowing Leclerc and Ric past. Good recovery on Ric though.

[dr_cooke]

Interesting point: Lando made the 7th fastest lap of the race, best of the rest, while Sainz was only faster than the 2 HAAS and 2 WILLIAMS. He was nursing his tyres for most of the race, but the car had potential to lap, much faster

[M840TR]

Interesting point: Lando made the 7th fastest lap of the race, best of the rest, while Sainz was only faster than the 2 HAAS and 2 WILLIAMS. He was nursing his tyres for most of the race, but the car had potential to lap, much faster

Norris also had fresher & softer tyres than half the field towards the end, so not exactly representative. They were 5th or 6th quickest at best really. Apparently the track doesn't suit them.

[diffuser]

Let’s not forget that Sainz is one race from finishing his fifth full season in F1, Lando just his first. Lando has also been by far the most unlucky driver this season giving up at least four good points-scoring finishes due to reliability/operational issues (including a 5th in Spa with only one lap to go) and without these he could have accrued almost double the points he has.

He has matched Carlos 10-10 in qualifying trim which proves he has the raw pace which you can’t teach. Hopefully his race-craft improves next season with a bit of extra experience - his battles at the start of the race today showed a bit more aggression which is good, early on in the season he was definitely a little too passive but he’s getting the elbows out a bit more now which should do him good.

Huge credit goes to Carlos yet again. Having effectively been dumped by both Red Bull and Renault in the last few years I think there’s genuinely a good argument for him being the driver of the season when you take into account all things and the level he has consistently performed at. He has often out-performing the car like he did today and has numerous times turned an 8th-9th place finish into a 5th or better with his race-craft, consistency and tenacity.

I don't want this to turn into me knocking Norris, just observations. I agree, he's still a kid. Let's be honest about the Quali stuff. if Sainz wouldn't have had PU trouble he would have been in the top 10 in Brazil Quali and it would have been 11-9. Also Sainz seems to have just kept getting stronger in the 2nd half while Norris has stalled. If You drop Belgium, Italy (new PU Sainz/Norris) and Bra PU problems Sainz, Sainz has finished ahead of Norris in every other qualifing since Hungry. That would be 5 to 1 in Sainz favour since Hungry.

[diffuser]

if someone said to me, do you want Alonso back in Mclaren, i wold pass. even if hes faster than the other 2 drivers. i think a lot of pressure was taken out of the team, and a think both did a great job with what they had. i said in pre-season testing for sure we are p4, or maybe p3.

Obviously we were not close to P3 but it was a solid P4, testing does play some tricks.
but im very happy with both drivers performance and the atmosphere they created in the team.

For sure you took pressure out. With Alonso the goal was to be number 1 and there was no real chance of obtaining it. In 2019 the goal was to be 4th or 5th. The pressure will start to mount next year and 2021 regardless if Alo is there or not. Unless they are content being 4th or 5th(losers).


That's why you bring a winner driver in, he creates that pressure, DEMANDS success!

[loner]

Sainz a good driver ,deserved his podium.

[McL-H]

Great video from onboards of Norris, Leclerc and Ricciardo from the start. Good driving by Lando. At one moment an Alfa almost took him out.

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/2019/ ... attle.html

Great racecraft from Lando!

[Ground Effect]

I’m wondering how much “effort” McLaren can afford to put into 2020 with the reg changes for 2021 looming large. I read an interview where Alain Prost said 2020 will be another tough year for Renault because of 2021 focus.

[diffuser]

I’m wondering how much “effort” McLaren can afford to put into 2020 with the reg changes for 2021 looming large. I read an interview where Alain Prost said 2020 will be another tough year for Renault because of 2021 focus.

Since McLaren was one of the 4 or 5 teams to test the new 18" tires, I'm guessing they've already got a team setup for the 2021 car. I wonder if those tires will be running higher tire pressure ?

[bauc]

BRAZIL GP (2018/2019)

[Ground Effect]

It’s almost as if F1 deliberately don’t show Carlos on live feed, so they can compile for later and put together a good video. There’ll probably make a “Greatest Hits” collection for him at the end of the season..

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/2019/ ... razil.html

[diffuser]

It’s almost as if F1 deliberately don’t show Carlos on live feed, so they can compile for later and put together a good video. There’ll probably make a “Greatest Hits” collection for him at the end of the season..

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/2019/ ... razil.html

That can be pretty irritating. Sometimes they're off showing something completely useless while you can see in live timing that Sainz is doing something and it's completely ignored.