BMMR61 wrote: ↑Mon Jul 22, 2024 5:23 amThere's a lot of unfamiliar accounts suddenly appearing now McLaren are (a) competitive and (b) having some strategy blunders. While we should welcome new people here, some of the stuff is just ridiculous, perhaps they could be called the Netflix generation. Just as McLaren are having fantastic results, beyond predictions, the bellyaching is hard to stomach (pun intended). We're entitled to our own opinions but I need a break from here after some of the hyperbolic stuff. I remain McLaren through and through, as some old salts used to say - if you cut him he would bleed orange (papaya)!
FittingMechanics wrote: ↑Mon Jul 22, 2024 11:46 amI always hated when teams would clearly favor one driver over the other, especially when it is done early in the season or when there is no need.
This is a similar situation. Verstappen is so far away and so many points are still available that I don't think destroying team unity is worth it. Norris made it harder than he should have, they obviously had an agreement before the race that they will protect against undercut by pitting the second driver first but that they will swap the positions back.
Btw what a great problem to have. What a difference a year and a half makes.
Saying this as a Norris fan, but Norris didn't exactly bring the fight to Piastri in the first two stints either. Yes, he did close up on the second stint but never got into DRS range. As Max had clearly shown, passing at Hungary isn't easy even with a pace advantage. Passing in the same car would likely be even harder. So while I think if Lando was leading the race after the first corner, his pace in clear air would probably have been faster then Oscar's was but that's not what happened. The chances of him actually passing Oscar on track, had they pitted in order were probably rather slim & may have just ended with them coming together as it likely would have taken some aggressive attempts to make the pass stick.
As much as I would absolutely love for them to be able to fight for the WDC, we can forget it. It won’t happen. Max will likely crash himself out a couple more times this year when in traffic, but otherwise the RB is too reliable and there will be races where RB is faster, where other teams will take points off McL and where McL cocks up their strategies. Lando is too inconsistent too. 70 points is simply just too much. Have to hope for next year instead.Slahinki wrote: ↑Mon Jul 22, 2024 11:46 amThere is no guarantee of fighting for the WDC this year, but if the team don't start maximising the points of Norris soon, even if it comes at the cost of telling Piastri to protect Norris from the moment the lights go out, the only thing that can be guaranteed is that there won't be a fight for the WDC. And I just hope McLaren take the appropriate measures before it's a mathematical impossibility.
On this occasion, I agree he should have been better. It should have been clear before the pit and afterwards. I've no issue with the undercut, although I don't understand their strategy sometimes, it would have caused no issue the team had simply been clear to Lando about what they expect if they pit him first. We will pit you first, but you will return the position. This is to protect you since you are trailing, not to gift you a win.McLarenMor wrote: ↑Mon Jul 22, 2024 5:38 pmYet again, Will Joseph proves he is not up for the job.
Pathetic exchange, poorly handled, lacking assertiveness.
I wonder what will be the excuse of his defenders from the last time we had the discussion.
Yep, there is no reason to be favouring Norris at this point, he hasn't done enough to warrant a complete focus on his points this early in the season and the team want to look after someone they think is going to be a big prospect and is only 40 points behind Lando.FittingMechanics wrote: ↑Mon Jul 22, 2024 11:46 amI always hated when teams would clearly favor one driver over the other, especially when it is done early in the season or when there is no need.
This is a similar situation. Verstappen is so far away and so many points are still available that I don't think destroying team unity is worth it. Norris made it harder than he should have, they obviously had an agreement before the race that they will protect against undercut by pitting the second driver first but that they will swap the positions back.
Btw what a great problem to have. What a difference a year and a half makes.
For the teams? It absolutely is the most important championship from the prize money, CFD/wind tunnel time and where they are in the pitlane point of view. If McLaren wanted to win the drivers title, they'd have let Lando win the race.
He was paid very well for his duty
I hope next time in the same situation the team will pit Piastri first and let Hamilton undercut Lando. It would be a much better treatment than securing his P2 by placing him at the front
for sure he will receive a much better treatment in any other team. Red Bull, for example.
Yeah the investors definitely want some money back given how much they have supported not only the team and the Automotive group.Hoffman900 wrote: ↑Mon Jul 22, 2024 10:00 pmThe real money for the teams is the WCC as their payout is linked to that.
Remember, Mclaren has foreign investors who want to see a return. A higher payout is less money they need to invest in (and more they take out as profit), more money sponsors pay, and higher profit the investors make.
And investor profit is all about what F1 is now in the Concorde / cost cap era. The cost ceiling is set, and everyone on top of that is investor profit.
Of course, WDC gets the headlines, but WCC pays the bills.