Zandvoort 2024
Lando Norris got his second win. He beat Max Verstappen at his home circuit where he was unbeaten (3 races) since it rejoined the F1 calendar in 2021. He beat him by 22.9 seconds which is asstonishing. As my son, one of Lando's race engineers, said to me "The car was epic today!".
Lando chatting to Andrew. A rare photo with Andrew smiling.
(https://imageshack.com/i/pniR0FOlj)
From left to right Will the senior race engineer with the constructors trophy. Andrew with the winners trophy. Henry the other race engineer wearing the winners medal.
The winner's gold medal is a new thing this year. There are silver and bronze medals for 2nd and 3rd. This seemed a bit of an affectation until you know that the trophies invariable end up at the team factory or head office. The trophy cabinet at the Mclaren head office at Woking is 30 meters long and packed with history. So the drivers had nothing to keep from their victories. Now they have their medals which is a nice touch.
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Lando's first win at Miami 2024.
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Andrew with the constructors trophy, winners trophy and winners gold medal.
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Silverstone 2024 press day.
Andrew, Pam, Lando and myself.
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Max has to watch out that he doesn't lose the championship. Lando is on a roll.
Quote from: Tom62 on August 26, 2024, 10:25:08 AMMax has to watch out that he doesn't lose the championship. Lando is on a roll.
That is true but there are still a lot of races to go. The key ic Lando's team mate Oscar. If he can beat Max as well then the delta between the two goes from 7 points to 10 with 9 races to go.
Behind the scenes.
Will, the principle race engineer, and Andrew, race engineer, discuss telemetry with Lando. All the teams can see the GPS telemetry of all the teams. The GPS feeds are military spec. In each pit on the floor there is a calibration point for the GPS system. So Andrew can see the effects of tyres, McLaren's fuel loads and tyre pressures and temperatures.
The max fuel load is 100kg. No car starts a race with a full tank. There must be enough fuel left in the tank for a test sample (1kg). One of Andrew's jobs is to calculate the start fuel load for each race.
(https://imageshack.com/i/pmjMALJej)
why is the telemetry shared between teams?
if i was making the rules, id want the drivers to be responsible for keeping track of where their competition was.
The leaders are in his windshield. The followers are in his mirrors. I'd say that anything more would be a serious distraction.
Quote from: billy rubin on August 28, 2024, 02:57:43 AMwhy is the telemetry shared between teams?
if i was making the rules, id want the drivers to be responsible for keeping track of where their competition was.
I don't know. I'll ask.
It's impossible for the drivers to keep track of what is going on. Particularly at Monarco and Zandvort which are tiny twisty tracks. It would be literally lethal if they didn't have their teams looking after them. In Indy cars they have 'spotters' who warn their drivers of slow cars, debris and crashes.
Quote from: Dark Lightning on August 28, 2024, 03:37:48 AMThe leaders are in his windshield. The followers are in his mirrors. I'd say that anything more would be a serious distraction.
Sometimes drivers quite literally tell their race engineers to 'Fucking leave me alone!' The driver/pit radios are open to be listened to. If you have the full F1 cable TV package from Sky you can follow the team radio for a particular car and watch their in car camera feed live.
Kimi Räikkönen was famous for his terse and impolite replies to his team. Lewis Hamilton sometimes told Pete Bonnington (Bono) to STFU on occasion. Another classic was Jenson Button's comment 'Don't fucking talk to me in a corner!!!'
Quote from: Tank on August 28, 2024, 06:50:56 AMQuote from: billy rubin on August 28, 2024, 02:57:43 AMwhy is the telemetry shared between teams?
if i was making the rules, id want the drivers to be responsible for keeping track of where their competition was.
I don't know. I'll ask.
It's impossible for the drivers to keep track of what is going on. Particularly at Monarco and Zandvort which are tiny twisty tracks. It would be literally lethal if they didn't have their teams looking after them. In Indy cars they have 'spotters' who warn their drivers of slow cars, debris and crashes.
Apparently all the GPS data including lap times is made available as a side effect of FIA requirements to be able to monitor car safety and performance. It's up to the teams if they want to access that feed. Of course they all do. So it's public knowledge.
well i can certainly understand the advantage of knowing about crashes, debris, and so on.
i suppose its the natural progression from the pit crew holding up signs reading
fuel next time round
or
lap time is xxxx
but its getting too rarified for me. racing is a mind game as well as physical skill, and the people with the best heads for track strategy used to be the best drivers. but i see the reasoning behind it.
It is so much a team sport now. The driver has their skill set but as Frank Williams once pointed out. A driver is just an unpredictable component of the car. :)
McLaren are now only 8 points behind Red Bull with 8 races to go. So if things continue as they are it's likely McLaren will get the constructors championship. Lando took points out of Max and is still on target for a last race shoot out for the drivers championship. Nail biting stuff.
McLaren now lead the constructors world championship!!!
Max isn't happy with his car. He has difficulties to control it. Something must happen fast because Lando is breathing down his neck.
Quote from: Tom62 on September 15, 2024, 06:27:28 PMMax isn't happy with his car. He has difficulties to control it. Something must happen fast because Lando is breathing down his neck.
It'll be a close run thing if he can do it.
Singapore 2024
Lando lead all the way from pole to flag (except during pit stops). Andrew holding the first place driver's and constructors trophy.
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Team photo in the pit lane.
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Too cool! Good for him (and the team)!
Thank you. Last year McLaren scored 302 points in total. This year they have scored 516 so far with 6 grand prix and 2 'sprints' to go. That's 6x25+6x18+2x8+2x7+6(*)=294 more points to be had if they get first and second in the rest of the season.
A lot of the success it down to Andea Stella (https://www.mclaren.com/racing/team/andrea-stella/) the Team Principal. He really understands how to build a team and make it work. He was responsible for getting Andrew to go back McLaren. Andrew speaks very highly of him.
*6 bonus point potential for fastest lap in each Grand Prix.
Max Verstappen did it again. World champion for the fourth time.
Yes and he definitely earned it this time. First one was gifted to him by the wrong decision on the last two laps of the last race of the season. Second and third the car was unbeatable. This time Max had neither and the race in the wet in Brazil was a masterpiece of driving. Other world champions have got there because of their cars, Vettel and Schumacher for example. This one was pure Max and well deserved.
It's interesting that GM are now a serious contender to enter a team in 2026 and are saying that Cadillac (who make engines for the American series) want to field their own full hybrid powertrain in 2028 in the GM car.
Russell is now ahead of Hamilton in the driver championship and if he stays there it will men he will have beaten Hamilton 2 out of 3 years they have raced together.
Ferrari made up points on Mclaren in the constructors championships with two races and a sprint to go!
Well McLaren did it. World champion constructors.
Quote from: Tank on December 08, 2024, 02:49:30 PMWell McLaren did it. World champion constructors.
It must be a jolly feeling to have a son working for the winning team, and no doubt he's rather pleased as well. I hope they give out bonuses to celebrate. ;D
Quote from: Recusant on December 08, 2024, 10:02:13 PMQuote from: Tank on December 08, 2024, 02:49:30 PMWell McLaren did it. World champion constructors.
It must be a jolly feeling to have a son working for the winning team, and no doubt he's rather pleased as well. I hope they give out bonuses to celebrate. ;D
Well he earned it. He's been there through thick and thin. He went to Arrows in America and then went to Astra systems. Andrias Stella personally kept in contact with him. And his personal relationship as friends with Lando was what brought him back at the beginning of this season. He is coming back to the UK with his family in the new year. He's staying in the pit job as a performance engineer next season. But has been promoted so has other responsibilities in other areas.
I believe that there are substantial bonuses involved. :)
They couldn't have won with a better total of points :rofl:
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^ Congrats to your son and family! ...and the team!
Quote from: Dark Lightning on December 09, 2024, 02:41:56 PM^ Congrats to your son and family! ...and the team!
Thank you. It has been a true team effort. Next year is going to be very interesting indeed.
2025 season starts
Lando Norris, Mclaren, wins the first race of the 2025 season in Melbourne Australia. Led from pole to flag except for a couple of laps during pit stops. Excellent start. Oscar, his teammate, who comes from Melbourne was in second place until a wet corner caught him out, he finished 9th. No Aussie driver has ever won the Aussie GP so Oscar was gutted. Only one Aussie driver has ever finished in the top 3 and he was disqualified for a technical infringement. 6 didn't finish all due to crashes in the wet conditions, one on the formation lap! 4 of the 6 rookies didn't finish but then neither did Fernando Alonso the oldest and most experienced driver on the track. Lot's of rain and safety cars. Exciting!
Cool! Onward Tank fils. :smokin cool:
Only 23 full races and 6 sprints to go and I'm already on edge!
Mclaren one two (Oscar/Lando) at Chinese GP. A simple win with little drama up front. Mclaren's 50th one two. This season has an inkling of the greatest season ever with Senna and Prost at McLaren.
Well Landon qualified on pole and won the Monaco GP! My son even got a hug from Zak Brown (Mclaren F1 Chief Executive). Quite a special day. For those new to HAF my son is one of Lando's race engineers. First win at Monaco since 2008.
My son with the trophies from today and the qualification tyre from saturday.
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Lando wins in Austria 2025. Oscar comes a close second. Max is nurfed of the track by Kimi Antonelli on the first lap. A very exciting first 20 laps with with Oscar never more than a second behind and at one point overtakes Lando who recovered the lead on the next corner. Memories of Senna and Prost.
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img923/2050/abDkRp.jpg)
With 11 of 24 races done McLaren is 207 points ahead of Ferrari. Oscar is now 15 points ahead of Lando. With a difference of 7 points between 1st an second place only a couple more wins to be right on each other!
Silverstone next week!
From strength to strength. Well done Tank Jr. and team! ;)
Andreas Stella is apparently a fantastic boss. He listens all the time and once he has listened he reiterates back what he thinks he heard and he doesn't comment until he is sure he has understood what somebody is trying to explain. He may then disagree but he will be able to explain exactly why he disagrees. He never pulls rank.
^ If one wants any successful organization, that's how it's done. It's good to see your son in a successful situation. Everybody deserves that.
I agree absolutely. Best boss I ever had was like that. It really made me think out any ideas I had before I bothered her with them.
Mclaren make it 2 years in a row winning the F1 world constructors championship. There are now 9 more races to go, 6 full GPs and 3 sprints. With the constructors championship in the bag Lando and Oscar will be a lot more aggressive in pursuing the drivers championship. Oscar is 22 points ahead. It's going to be nail biting close!!!
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