In the last few races we have noticed a McLaren in great difficulty during tire changes. Problems arose around July. Initially we didn't pay too much attention to each other. Anyone can have the wrong weekend. But then, as we got on with dating, the episodes started to pile up. The most striking stage, also from a media point of view, was Norris in Monza, but it was not the only one.
In Singapore, for example, even though it went quieter, there was another one, which this time damaged world championship leader Oscar Piastri. It didn't have much resonance because the Australian remained behind teammate Norris for the entire duration of the race (after having suffered the much talked about overtaking at the start).
When the two found themselves stopping, McLaren recalled Lando Norris first, managing to send him onto the track after just 2’’10 (second fastest time of the weekend behind only Red Bull who replaced the tires at Tsunoda in 2’’05). Then he stopped Piastri who, however, took more than 3’’ to cross the entire pit lane. This can be seen from the document issued by the FIA at the end of the race. 26’’6 the total time (including tire change, of which however we have no trace) for Piastri against Norris' 23’’3.
Perhaps McLaren's plan is simply not to give any kind of reference
Some might be mischievous. The papaya team, as well as being able to experiment with new procedures, as we hypothesized at the end of the Azerbaijan GP (given that it is fighting with Red Bull for second place in the pit stop standings, 280 points for the Milton Keynes team, against McLaren's 274), he may have found a ruse to prevent his drivers from fighting in the phases immediately following the stop.
We know that fighting as soon as you leave the pits is not the most optimal thing. The tires are cold, the adrenaline rises and the chances of making mistakes and making confusion increase significantly. Slowing down one of the two by creating a gap, preventing him from fighting could therefore be an interesting internal dynamic, an interesting hypothesis, but which in any case does not explain all the cases that have occurred in the recent period.
What happened in Monza, for example, goes against all kinds of logical reasoning. The team made a mistake in the pit stop of the driver who, at that moment, had a better chance of winning the race, or at least fighting with Verstappen, and subsequently asked the world championship leader to slow down and give up the position to his teammate.
Faced with such an episode, it is impossible to find a logical explanation. Perhaps McLaren does everything and the opposite of everything precisely to destabilize us. Do not provide points of reference, thus hiding its true intentions.
Photo: McLaren; Internal photo: FIA, YouTube, Formula1
Read also in italian language: Continuano le difficoltà McLaren ai box, a Singapore è Piastri a farne le spese
All the news, photos, weather, session times and times from the Singapore GP 2025
