The strange way McLaren's F1 car performance 'switches off'
- Posted by storm on Nov 22, 2023
McLaren has ended the year with arguably F1’s second fastest car, but among its weaknesses is a strange phenomenon that we very rarely see.
It showed itself over a DISASTROUS Las Vegas Grand Prix weekend that went a lot worse than it should have.
The MCL60 wasn’t to blame for the shock throwback to the team’s miserable start of the season that was a double elimination in Q1, as McLaren bungled its tyre strategy in qualifying.
It wasn’t to blame for Lando Norris’s heavy crash at the start of the race as low tyre pressures and a full fuel tank, plus maybe a slight misjudgement from Norris, meant he lost control over a bump.
And it wasn’t to blame for the mix of circumstances that meant Piastri’s valiant attempt at a recovery drive was thwarted by needing a late pitstop to avoid being disqualified.
But even with a clear run, McLaren wouldn’t have been on its recent podium-scoring form. Because this was just not a track that played to the MCL60’s strengths.
In fact it exposed a weakn