2025 McLaren F1 Team

[CjC]

More downforce will keep tyres good for longer. Red Bull probably bet everything on qualifying.

Nah this isn't downforce. Something in that car is inducing a lot of drag, but it's a compromise they're willing to run with at the moment, because whatever it is, it's giving them advantage elsewhere.

8 kmh down on Max and 7 kmh down on George (same PU), is way too much to say it's just downforce.

An older PU?
Red Bull whinged in Miami because others had new PUs

[Emag]

Wow, that was an interesting cool down lap for NOR. as soon as he crossed the line, Will came over the radio and said "that was not cool, mate" and Lando replied "what do you mean, the lap?" and Will didn't reply to him or say anything else including confirming his position until parc ferme. Hope all is well there and FIA just didn't transmit all the radio

Well, there have been various "interesting" rumors regarding Lando and McLaren the last couple of races, but honestly, the guy has absolutely no face to complain about anything. It's all down to him. If he thinks he deserves preferential treatment while performing like he is at the moment, then he is deluded.

[Ben1980]

Let's not kid ourselves. This Lando Norris has nothing to do with that fantastic Lando Norris driver from the years 2019 to 2023. It's clear he has become worse. I don't know what's bothering him and he can't perform but it's infuriating to know he has the capabilities to be the fastest driver of this generation but is unable to.

Congratulations to Oscar Piastri for showing such a championship material performance once again. The cars are pretty much equal in one lap pace and Oscar is the driver that is making the difference and not the car.

Lando was making mistakes a plenty in 2019-23 too. You 'll likely not have the memory, but it was happening throughout 2023 and I was heaving heated discussions with Ben1980 (And others, it was an unpopular opinion) about the importance of it, suggesting that Lando needed to sort himself out- as any time soon he'd get a competitive car, but that this was a long time trait and I strongly suspected it would not go and stated as much. Always the same type of mistake, overdriving.

Oscar's trajectory has been fairly clear. You can ignore bad patches and head to head stats, it is clear he improves relentlessly. And I imagine there's plenty more left in his curve, too, particularly on Sundays. The kid is clearly a generational talent and ahead of Lando when you compare their seasons 1,2 and now 3.

The car is built around a strong rear though, and Oscar is a guy who is more gentle on entry of the corner and aggressive on the exit, whereas Lando is the opposite. SO a car that has an improved rear as a notable improvement over last year is going to benefit Oscar.

Still love a heated debate

[Ben1980]

I think this guy has all the talent to be a multiple world champion.

He does, but, as with all good drivers it will be what happens next year. If Merc blitz it, then Kimi is the next big thing.

Oscar is great, but he is lucky he joined Mclaren at this time.

[mwillems]

I think this guy has all the talent to be a multiple world champion.

He does, but, as with all good drivers it will be what happens next year. If Merc blitz it, then Kimi is the next big thing.

Oscar is great, but he is lucky he joined Mclaren at this time.

And we are lucky we got him, otherwise where would we be now.

But yeah, reg reset could upset everything, but I trust this team.

[venkyhere]

Lando and Max scruffy. Oscar does just enough. Performing so well.

No, Max got the laptime out of his car. Lando couldn't do it in either of his 2 tries in Q3. Just a mess. Never in a million years would I predict Lando to be manhandled like this by Oscar after the performances he had last year.

Max went yellow yellow in think, so probably would need to be classed as scruffy.

Lando isn't performing though. But, he hasn't become bad and Oscar has improved but hadn't suddenly become prime Senna.

Max took too much out of the tyre in S1 (nearly 0.2 faster than Piastri) - that left him with less than optimal grip for rest of the lap. Understandable, it's a car that eats tyres. He did his job. Piastri did his job. Norris ? cracks under pressure.

[Ben1980]

Wow, that was an interesting cool down lap for NOR. as soon as he crossed the line, Will came over the radio and said "that was not cool, mate" and Lando replied "what do you mean, the lap?" and Will didn't reply to him or say anything else including confirming his position until parc ferme. Hope all is well there and FIA just didn't transmit all the radio

Well, there have been various "interesting" rumors regarding Lando and McLaren the last couple of races, but honestly, the guy has absolutely no face to complain about anything. It's all down to him. If he thinks he deserves preferential treatment while performing like he is at the moment, then he is deluded.

Where is he asking for preferential treatment?

[Ben1980]

I think this guy has all the talent to be a multiple world champion.

He does, but, as with all good drivers it will be what happens next year. If Merc blitz it, then Kimi is the next big thing.

Oscar is great, but he is lucky he joined Mclaren at this time.

And we are lucky we got him, otherwise where would we be now.

But yeah, reg reset could upset everything, but I trust this team.

He was worth the 23m in paying off Ricardo. Or Alpine not tying him down properly.

It's all sliding doors moments in f1.

[Ben1980]

No, Max got the laptime out of his car. Lando couldn't do it in either of his 2 tries in Q3. Just a mess. Never in a million years would I predict Lando to be manhandled like this by Oscar after the performances he had last year.

Max went yellow yellow in think, so probably would need to be classed as scruffy.

Lando isn't performing though. But, he hasn't become bad and Oscar has improved but hadn't suddenly become prime Senna.

Max took too much out of the tyre in S1 (nearly 0.2 faster than Piastri) - that left him with less than optimal grip for rest of the lap. Understandable, it's a car that eats tyres. He did his job. Piastri did his job. Norris ? cracks under pressure.

I think that's just too overly simplistic. I'm not sure you can have "bottle" issues and get where he or any of them have made.

Maybe, it's just how he is. He can be brilliant and fast but also scruffy. That's why he was racing against drivers 2/3 years older than him like Charles or George.

[FittingMechanics]

Was Lando the one that held back Verstappen and others in pits? Maybe that was the comment about?

[Ground Effect]

I just realised some people have a preference over which driver wins the title. Honestly, I couldn't care less who wins, as long as it's a McLaren driver. My disappointment with Lando is that he's not putting the car where it belongs. Oscar could get taken out or have issues, he should be right up there to pick up the pieces.

[mwillems]

I don't have a preference, but I do have an opinion on it, but yeah, I don't think Lando is the driver that we can rely on for the future. I wouldn't be upset if he won us a title, I'd be delighted. But will it happen?

[Ben1980]

I just realised some people have a preference over which driver wins the title. Honestly, I couldn't care less who wins, as long as it's a McLaren driver. My disappointment with Lando is that he's not putting the car where it belongs. Oscar could get taken out or have issues, he should be right up there to pick up the pieces.

I would prefere Lando.

I like the idea of someone coming through the system from young to champion, similar to Lewis.

I have no issues with Oscar clearly very talented and performing like a superstar. Just don't have the same connection.

[Ground Effect]

I just realised some people have a preference over which driver wins the title. Honestly, I couldn't care less who wins, as long as it's a McLaren driver. My disappointment with Lando is that he's not putting the car where it belongs. Oscar could get taken out or have issues, he should be right up there to pick up the pieces.

I would prefere Lando.

I like the idea of someone coming through the system from young to champion, similar to Lewis.

I have no issues with Oscar clearly very talented and performing like a superstar. Just don't have the same connection.

OK, that's actually a fair and reasonable way to look at it, "he's one of our own" kinda thing, like with a football academy kid coming through the ranks. It would actually make a great story. I was on sabbatical from F1 when Lewis won in 2008, so for me the last McLaren WDC I celebrated was Mika in '99. So I'm just looking forward to lucky nbr 13.

[Ben1980]

I just realised some people have a preference over which driver wins the title. Honestly, I couldn't care less who wins, as long as it's a McLaren driver. My disappointment with Lando is that he's not putting the car where it belongs. Oscar could get taken out or have issues, he should be right up there to pick up the pieces.

I would prefere Lando.

I like the idea of someone coming through the system from young to champion, similar to Lewis.

I have no issues with Oscar clearly very talented and performing like a superstar. Just don't have the same connection.

OK, that's actually a fair and reasonable way to look at it, "he's one of our own" kinda thing, like with a football academy kid coming through the ranks. It would actually make a great story. I was on sabbatical from F1 when Lewis won in 2008, so for me the last McLaren WDC I celebrated was Mika in '99. So I'm just looking forward to lucky nbr 13.

Totally, you have an affinity if you've seen the person break through. And it doesn't happen loads.

Obviously Lewis came through Mclaren.

Vettell while a Red Bull junior was at and released by BMW to go to Toro Rosso.

Max was signed by Red Bull not produced. ( interesting that that's what pushed Toto into getting Kimi in the team early, as he missed out on Max)

Leclerc was Ferrari from young, but looks like he's wasting his career with them.

When you see your graduate play it's just better, sometimes even if they are bobbins.