[Team] McLaren - can they compete?

[pole2pole]

I think Norris will shine. He has always been very impressive during previous official testing sessions. It’s a pity there isn’t more competitive cars at the front. I would love to see the likes of Norris,Vandoorne and George Russell in F1 and all in winning cars.

[S griffin]

Yes, George Russell hasn’t been built up as much as Norris, but I think he deserves a shot in F1

[BSchneiderFan]

I think Russell’s reputation is pulling level with the Norris hype. As GR himself recognises, Leclerc’s success at Sauber has been great for a Formula 2 as a championship. Would be good to see Norris, Russell and Albon all get promoted next year - McLaren, Force India and Toro Rosso, maybe?

[F1Guy]

Norris makes his debut in F1 for McLaren during PF1 at Spa, finished 18th. Two spots ahead of the regular driver Vandoorne. Who was in the brand new chassis he asked for, and raced in last round.


The fact that McLaren has confirmed Sainz, and has not yet confirmed Vandoorne as the other driver is telling. Sorry, but IMO Vandoorne has to make way for someone else ASAP. The hype train he came to F1 in was overcrowded at the time, but currently has just the one passenger. Vandoorne himself.

[Dixon9]

i think that says more about toxic internet f1 facebook fan hype trains than it does about vandoorne, especially in a series where your car largely determines your result.

it'll take more than 18th in a practice session to convince me norris is the annointed and vandoorne has been secretly terrible all along

[BSchneiderFan]

I don’t think Vandoorne is terrible and have certainly never said so. What I do think is that his performances in Formula 1, especially when compared to his achievements in the junior formulae, have been disappointing, and if he really was the Next Best Thing he’d be running Alonso a lot closer. It doesn’t make him a *bad* driver that he’s not, simply not a great one, actually or potentially.

[cds_uk]

Originally Posted by F1Guy

Norris makes his debut in F1 for McLaren during PF1 at Spa, finished 18th. Two spots ahead of the regular driver Vandoorne. Who was in the brand new chassis he asked for, and raced in last round.

You forgot to mention that Norris did twice the amount of laps as Vandoorne as the team had to remove the floor of his car to investigate a leak.

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by F1Guy

Norris makes his debut in F1 for McLaren during PF1 at Spa, finished 18th. Two spots ahead of the regular driver Vandoorne. Who was in the brand new chassis he asked for, and raced in last round.

Please tell me you are not seriously making a judgment on the ability of two drivers based on a single Free Practice session?

I can understand criticism of someone who puts it in the wall, or makes a significant error - but otherwise, how can anyone outside of the team seriously know what times each driver was even trying to achieve?

[GTRMagic]

Originally Posted by crmalcolm

Please tell me you are not seriously making a judgment on the ability of two drivers based on a single Free Practice session?

I can understand criticism of someone who puts it in the wall, or makes a significant error - but otherwise, how can anyone outside of the team seriously know what times each driver was even trying to achieve?

Still a good effort from Mr Norris though

[F1Guy]

Originally Posted by cds_uk

You forgot to mention that Norris did twice the amount of laps as Vandoorne...

Ahh.. yes, sorry I did forget to mention that. Apologise.

I also forgot to mention Vandoorne has done exactly 99 more free practice sessions during a F1 weekend to Norris' 1 single free practice session. And also forgot to mention Vandoorne has done a few (just a few ) laps more than Norris in an Formula 1 car. But hey.. it shouldn't really count. It's just a free practice session after all. Right?

Originally Posted by GTRMagic

Still a good effort from Mr Norris though

It sure was. But it was only one single practice session.

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by GTRMagic

Still a good effort from Mr Norris though

Agreed - the session shows promise for Norris, but hardly gave any weight to the SVD bashing?

[Aysedasi]

Not that sure it needs any more weight though, does it?

[chillibowl]

didnt see it but from what is said here Norris was driving Alonso's car?

any info on fast laps, which tires, types of runs etc?

if you want to compare two drivers do you want them out on track at the same time or have them run in the same car during different sessions?

[Dixon9]

awkward time for stoffel to put it in the wall

Originally Posted by crmalcolm

Please tell me you are not seriously making a judgment on the ability of two drivers based on a single Free Practice session?

I can understand criticism of someone who puts it in the wall, or makes a significant error - but otherwise, how can anyone outside of the team seriously know what times each driver was even trying to achieve?

but exactly. it's the worst kind of facebook f1 fandom

[Hammerdown]

Not sure I understand why McLaren are so bad at the moment and just seem to be getting worse each race. They don’t appear to be developing the car. Have they not got any money left? Have they sacked everyone?

[broadrun96]

Originally Posted by Hammerdown

Not sure I understand why McLaren are so bad at the moment and just seem to be getting worse each race. They don’t appear to be developing the car. Have they not got any money left? Have they sacked everyone?

What else do they have left to blame? Seems like Honda, wind tunnel correlation, management have all been blamed so far. Maybe Pirelli is next. Or the rain, or the macadam?

[Nononsensecapeesh]

What a way to celebrate the half-centenary of your 1st win, one driver announcing his retirement then getting catapulted over the top of Leclerc (Thus vindicating the introduction of the halo), the other starting and finishing last in his home GP.

[Mekola]

This has only one sollution:
New McLaren lineup:

Driver #1 Esteban Ocon
Driver #2 Lando Norris (at least, there are his first races,
next year you could prepare him as the leader...).

Send Fernando directly to Virtual Racing.
Call Marcelo Battistuzzi urgently.

[F1Guy]

Am I correct in saying that - in the last nine years, nine drivers have been in and/or out of McLaren?

That is not a very stable environment to built a championship team.


And with two young guns (one of them a rookie), I think they will lack the knowledge to get the cars heading in the right direction. So more pain for McLaren fans yet.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by F1Guy

Am I correct in saying that - in the last nine years, nine drivers have been in and/or out of McLaren?

That is not a very stable environment to built a championship team.


And with two young guns (one of them a rookie), I think they will lack the knowledge to get the cars heading in the right direction. So more pain for McLaren fans yet.

7.
Lewis Hamilton

Heikki Kovalainen

Jenson Button

Sergio Perez

Kevin Magnussen

Fernando Alonso x2

Stoffel Vandoorne

[F1Guy]

Thanks BJS. I was including the newest recruits (Sainz and Norris) in that list too. Does that count?

[F1Guy]

The last time McLaren had two new drivers was in 2007, when they hired a Spaniard and a rookie who was from Britain.

[BSchneiderFan]

Originally Posted by F1Guy

The last time McLaren had wo new drivers was in 2007, when they hired a Spaniard and a rookie who was from Britain.

Ha. Good point. Great news for Norris, and, I think, F1 in general.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by F1Guy

Thanks BJS. I was including the newest recruits (Sainz and Norris) in that list too. Does that count?

When a driver gets the seat full time, then I think it counts.

[F1Guy]

Pat Fry making a return to McLaren to consult over the 2019 car.

It's being reported in all languages, but nothing official as yet.