2025 McLaren F1 Team

[BMMR61]

Norris, Stella, and all members here who want to 'downplay' the car advantage that you have :

Accept.
Accept that the MCL39 is a DOMINANT car.
Stop underselling the car and overselling your drivers.

Accept that at Miami in race conditions the MCL39 is UTTERLY DOMINANT.
Accept that overall MCL39 is the best car at most if not all circuits encountered so far.

They have easily a WDC and WCC winning car - if one of the other teams don't deliver a 2024 Miami McLaren upgrade.

It seems almost foolish for me to state these things they are that obvious. Way too soon to make extravagant claims after 6 races but THAT WAS DOMINANT!

I mean, what do people expect Stella to say? "Our drivers are okay at best but we built a rocketship so even my grandmother would win on that?" Wouldn't do much good for the team atmosphere if I had to guess.
I also don't understand all the fuss, considering that just two years ago Red Bull had such a dominant car that even Perez could finish 2nd on the WDC.

Yeah that's the thing. Max was smashing them I'm a car that we didn't even get to see how fast it could go and nobody's downgrading his WDC. I doubt Zak would be interested in shipping either of his drivers if Max came calling. Wasn't it three years ago at Austria that Lewis said on team radio that Lando was a really good driver? Anyway people will have their slant on things without realising how tight the margins are until we get a race like today. For a long time there's been cars that performed better on race pace than qualifying and vice versa. It just so happens that the MCL39 comes alive on race pace in hotter conditions - if they get everything right.

[geogate]

just as an FYI on Oscar/Lando gap. According to Oscar after the race, HE didnt have Landos pace on the hard tyres, and was only able to stabilise the gap in the closing stages when it got down to about 4 seconds. He said himself that he needed the first stint gap as he was struggling on the hard tyre - it wasnt race pace management

[mwillems]

just as an FYI on Oscar/Lando gap. According to Oscar after the race, HE didnt have Landos pace on the hard tyres, and was only able to stabilise the gap in the closing stages when it got down to about 4 seconds. He said himself that he needed the first stint gap as he was struggling on the hard tyre - it wasnt race pace management

Yep, those were my thoughts. Hard tyre for Piastri was a (relative) struggle.

[Jambier]

Oscar Piastri - old head on young shoulders? Two races in a row he has, in my eyes at least, forced the mistake from Max. This was a patient and intelligent attack which minimised risk against a very dangerous opponent, and skipped in and out of the dirty air making Max work very hard. The positioning of the car in anticipation of Max's eventual lock-up was sublime. Yes sure, the McLaren had a very healthy advantage but passing Max for the lead is always serious business. This battle (Max v Oscar) looks very interesting as I have no doubt that Max and Red Bull haven't waved surrender by any means. There will be days when Lando is untouchable and those days Oscar will likely settle for second place but in the heat of battle, Lando will need to up his game, can he do it?

Same for me, really impressed by PIA.
I hope this will continue, really a mature driver, clever in battle, taking time.

On the other hand I’m still not convinced by NOR. After all those f1 seasons we all know he has great row pace but seems not to progress in thinking clever or take his time in race action

[Ben1980]

Oscar Piastri - old head on young shoulders? Two races in a row he has, in my eyes at least, forced the mistake from Max. This was a patient and intelligent attack which minimised risk against a very dangerous opponent, and skipped in and out of the dirty air making Max work very hard. The positioning of the car in anticipation of Max's eventual lock-up was sublime. Yes sure, the McLaren had a very healthy advantage but passing Max for the lead is always serious business. This battle (Max v Oscar) looks very interesting as I have no doubt that Max and Red Bull haven't waved surrender by any means. There will be days when Lando is untouchable and those days Oscar will likely settle for second place but in the heat of battle, Lando will need to up his game, can he do it?

Same for me, really impressed by PIA.
I hope this will continue, really a mature driver, clever in battle, taking time.

On the other hand I’m still not convinced by NOR. After all those f1 seasons we all know he has great row pace but seems not to progress in thinking clever or take his time in race action

What did Norris do in this race or even race weekend, to be not convinced? I'd argue he was the faster driver of the 2.

Piastri did well, but he got lucky with the win ( on the basis that Lando was unlucky at turn 2)

[Mcl_G10]

It's totally crazy how much of an advantage we had so far into the current rule set. It's astonishing that the team has designed and build something that could be so far ahead in the right track and conditions.
Ultimate 1 lap pace of mclaren, redbull and merc is very tight though. Qualifying ahead is key to being able to use that race pace.
This leads me to think that other teams will still get there fair share of wins. At tracks that are harder to pass they will sacrifice racepace for 1 lap pace just for track position and to try and just hold on rather than risk starting behind and having no chance.

[Darth-Piekus]

Damn. Fans of Red Bull sound so salty right now after feeding with so much Max ocerhype but it's time to agree that Max has met his match in the face of Oscar Piastri. While the car was dominant in these conditions it doesnt buy you skill. Oscar owned Max on his own game a second time forcing an experienced 4 times champion to make a huge mistake and lets not forget the start at Saudi Arabia. The car definately doesnt buy you that. What about Australia in the rain where Oscar forced Max into another mistake. The signs are there and thats the circle of life boys. Eventually there's gonna be a new top dog and karma for 2021 pays sooner or later. In the end when Max was winning with a car that was 1 second faster back in 2023 they claimed to all have been Max. It is fair game to now say that Oscar makes the difference.

[Ben1980]

Damn. Fans of Red Bull sound so salty right now after feeding with so much Max ocerhype but it's time to agree that Max has met his match in the face of Oscar Piastri. While the car was dominant in these conditions it doesnt buy you skill. Oscar owned Max on his own game a second time forcing an experienced 4 times champion to make a huge mistake and lets not forget the start at Saudi Arabia. The car definately doesnt buy you that. What about Australia in the rain where Oscar forced Max into another mistake. The signs are there and thats the circle of life boys. Eventually there's gonna be a new top dog and karma for 2021 pays sooner or later. In the end when Max was winning with a car that was 1 second faster back in 2023 they claimed to all have been Max. It is fair game to now say that Oscar makes the difference.

I know you like a bit of hyperbole. But Max is the best driver out there, I'm not sure he has net his match with Oscar just yet.

[Darth-Piekus]

Im not hyperboling though. Oscar has stepped up his game dramatically and has beaten Max on his own game three times this year. People tend to forget that this is not Oscar Piastri of 2023 and 2024. Hes in his 3rd year and still developing while Max cant go higher and Oscar is close.

[Ben1980]

Im not hyperboling though. Oscar has stepped up his game dramatically and has beaten Max on his own game three times this year. People tend to forget that this is not Oscar Piastri of 2023 and 2024. Hes in his 3rd year and still developing while Max cant go higher and Oscar is close.

Yes, Oscar has looked very impressive.l, and has improved on last year. But he hadnt suddenly matched Max level, he does have a very good car and is making the most consistently ( unlike Lando) but let's not go over the top. He barely troubled Max last year, and isn't think Max is pulling more out of the RB than many others would.

Oscar and Lando are close, but still of Max, and I think both are also off Leclerc.

[Darth-Piekus]

I think you are overselling Max in my opinion. Sure hes a top driver but as I said Oscar has improved dramatically from last year and now goes toe to toe with Max. He showed his worth in Australia where he forced Max into a mistake, he's done it in Saudi Arabia when he took first place at the start and he's shown it here when he forced Max into another mistake. Oscar broke the myth of the unbeatable Max. At the end of the day I find it unfair when Max was winning with the most dominant car of all time to have gained all the credit but the same thing not happening with Oscar. Compare Oscar to Leclerc in 2022. When Leclerc had the best car at the start of 2022 he fumbled it far too many times. Oscar this year doesnt make mistakes and is the most stable driver of all.

[mwillems]

Oscar needs to beat Lando on race pace first lol

He's a very talented and well rounded driver. But not on Max' level. Max is one of the best ever.

Oscars consistency has definitely improved, he's a small bit better with the tyres but still behind Lando and his one lap pace is almost on a par with Lando. But Max would likely eat Lando for breakfast.

[Ben1980]

Last year, the Red Bull and the Mclarens were very evenly matched, after Miami. And Max was comfortable against both drivers.

Now, in race pace, they aren't so evenly matched, it's hard to suddenly think either has the jump on Max.

Put Max in the Mclaren, he likely poles and wins 6 out of 6 against either as his team mate.

I like our drivers, but let's not overhype them because they have a good car.

Only 3 and a half years between Oscar and Max in age! This isn't some changing of the guard. ( that is likely Kimi A)

[Balalu]

Oscar needs to beat Lando on race pace first lol

He's a very talented and well rounded driver. But not on Max' level. Max is one of the best ever.

Oscars consistency has definitely improved, he's a small bit better with the tyres but still behind Lando and his one lap pace is almost on a par with Lando. But Max would likely eat Lando for breakfast.

When Lando is on it and in the right mindset, he is scary fast!

[basti313]

Oscar this year doesnt make mistakes and is the most stable driver of all.

I would say this only if one of the McL drivers manages to pull a Q3 without a yellow sector in the last attempt...

Oscar needs to beat Lando on race pace first lol

No. It is still not the question who WINs the WDC. It is the and only question who of the two fumbles it.
Still worst case scenario for McL is that both keep on fumbling...remember this is still the only weekend where they both did not fumble points and managed to extract the cars advantage.

But Max would likely eat Lando for breakfast.

No, I do not think so. But I am quite sure Lando will spill the ketchup or similar and look silly in a competitive breakfast. But even with a small fumble he would be good at it otherwise.