They did. But on pure pace and the "Max" factor.


They did. But on pure pace and the "Max" factor.
Norris didn't look faster at any point to be fair. Even if so, very marginally, but nothing that will help him get close and pass.avantman wrote: ↑18 May 2025, 16:52The driver made all the difference on driver's track, yet again, just like Suzuka. Won 4th time in a row at Imola, three of which not even having the fastest car.
Don't overreact again looking at this result. It is very reminiscent to Jeddah, where Max again looked faster than the slower Mclaren driver (and poorer tire manager) on the first stint on medium. Track specifics and Norris quali underperformances helped again.
Do you realise how much of his medium tire life did Norris waste in the first stint? he still kept Max pace, who had the perfect stint 100% driven in clear air. Norris would not be falling back so badly on medium. Piastri repeated his first stints at Suzuka and Jeddah where he dropped off badly on medium. .f1isgood wrote: ↑18 May 2025, 16:54Norris didn't look faster at any point to be fair. Even if so, very marginally, but nothing that will help him get close and pass.avantman wrote: ↑18 May 2025, 16:52The driver made all the difference on driver's track, yet again, just like Suzuka. Won 4th time in a row at Imola, three of which not even having the fastest car.
Don't overreact again looking at this result. It is very reminiscent to Jeddah, where Max again looked faster than the slower Mclaren driver (and poorer tire manager) on the first stint on medium. Track specifics and Norris quali underperformances helped again.
I think the last stint deficit to the McLaren's is gone this year. It was a serious issue last year. Now it seems that the gaps are consistent throughout the race, neither teams gain much on high/low fuel. For a while last year the RB20 was competitive on the first stint but would fall off. It doesn't seem to be the case this year.Cs98 wrote: ↑18 May 2025, 16:56The move at the start made all the difference. If Piastri is sitting in free air pushing he probably ends up in Max's position at the end. Still, encouraging that the deg was good, but we've seen that before here last year. Deg was really good first stint, then McLaren came back at the end. Spain will be a crucial barometer.
Yeah but there's still no indication that Norris had enough over-pace to catch and pass Max or something like that. Maybe the McLaren's in Norris' hand could have been potentially quicker. We are talking hypotheticals here though.avantman wrote: ↑18 May 2025, 16:57Do you realise how much of his medium tire life did Norris waste in the first stint? he still kept Max pace, who had the perfect stint 100% driven in clear air. Norris would not be falling back so badly on medium. Piastri repeated his first stints at Suzuka and Jeddah where he dropped off badly on medium. .f1isgood wrote: ↑18 May 2025, 16:54Norris didn't look faster at any point to be fair. Even if so, very marginally, but nothing that will help him get close and pass.avantman wrote: ↑18 May 2025, 16:52The driver made all the difference on driver's track, yet again, just like Suzuka. Won 4th time in a row at Imola, three of which not even having the fastest car.
Don't overreact again looking at this result. It is very reminiscent to Jeddah, where Max again looked faster than the slower Mclaren driver (and poorer tire manager) on the first stint on medium. Track specifics and Norris quali underperformances helped again.
I was looking at gap to Piastri in 1st stint on the mediums and Max was gaining a tenth or two at Variante Alta. That could be a sign that they were better on high kerbs today so it could be a good omen for Monaco.
Of course, just like Suzuka and Jeddah this year and Imola last year.
You could've said the same after Jeddah, where Max actually got pole with quite poor lap and genuinely looked a bit faster on both stints. It's track specifics. Mclaren are not faster by the same margins on all race tracks, they haven't been last year and they won't be this year. But they are still unquestionably the fastest car, both over one lap and race distance. If you think that update could cover as much as 8 tenths of deficit we saw in Miami, you are kidding yourself. Stop it now.
I just don't think this track is representative for deg. I need to see this on a track like Spain.f1isgood wrote: ↑18 May 2025, 16:57I think the last stint deficit to the McLaren's is gone this year. It was a serious issue last year. Now it seems that the gaps are consistent throughout the race, neither teams gain much on high/low fuel. For a while last year the RB20 was competitive on the first stint but would fall off. It doesn't seem to be the case this year.Cs98 wrote: ↑18 May 2025, 16:56The move at the start made all the difference. If Piastri is sitting in free air pushing he probably ends up in Max's position at the end. Still, encouraging that the deg was good, but we've seen that before here last year. Deg was really good first stint, then McLaren came back at the end. Spain will be a crucial barometer.
Doubt it. PIA has been weak with the tire management even in clean air (Miami, 1st stint in Bahrain). Their car advantage was just so overwhelming that you had to look closely to see it in the races that PIA won. Norris is still the race pace benchmark at Mclaren. He can make the tires last longer than Piastri can.Cs98 wrote: ↑18 May 2025, 16:56The move at the start made all the difference. If Piastri is sitting in free air pushing he probably ends up in Max's position at the end. Still, encouraging that the deg was good, but we've seen that before here last year. Deg was really good first stint, then McLaren came back at the end. Spain will be a crucial barometer.