Title: Analyzing McLaren’s Performance at the Qatar Grand Prix: Could Victory Have Been Possible?
Introduction:
McLaren’s strong performance at the Qatar Grand Prix resulted in a second double podium finish of the year, with Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris securing P2 and P3 respectively, behind winner Max Verstappen. However, Norris suggested that victory could have been possible if he had obtained a better starting position. Former Aston Martin strategist Bernie Collins examines the data to see if Norris’s claim holds true. In this article, we will delve into the analysis and explore whether McLaren could have won the race.
Examining the Sprint:
McLaren had a promising start in the Qatar Grand Prix, with Piastri starting from P1 and Norris from P2. The Sprint race saw Piastri finishing in P1 and Norris in P3, narrowly missing out on second place to Verstappen. It is clear that Verstappen demonstrated better pace, as he closed the gap to McLaren but ultimately was unable to overtake. Norris struggled at the start, dropping from P2 to P6 on the first lap. Although he gradually improved his position throughout the race, it is challenging to make an accurate pace comparison between the cars due to traffic and three Safety Car periods.
Analyzing Qualifying:
McLaren faced difficulties during qualifying due to the strict enforcement of track limits. Piastri had a lap time removed from Q3, while Norris had both his lap times annulled. On the other hand, Verstappen made a mistake on his second fastest lap and retired early from the session. By considering the theoretical best lap times of the three drivers, Verstappen would have secured P1, Norris P2, and Piastri P3. This indicates that Verstappen had the potential to be faster, disregarding the track limit violations by Norris and Piastri.
Could McLaren Have Won?
Piastri finished 4.8 seconds behind Verstappen, with Norris 1.1 seconds further back. As the race progressed, Norris was able to reduce the gap with Verstappen to approximately 10 seconds on lap 10. Therefore, Norris’s argument that a better starting position could have led to victory holds some weight. However, it is crucial to consider the impact of the tire stint limitations imposed by Pirelli and the FIA. All drivers had to complete a minimum of three pit stops due to these limitations, restricting their flexibility in terms of when they could change tires.
Analyzing the Tire Strategy:
Red Bull had an advantage in terms of tire flexibility, allowing them to extend the stint lengths and avoid traffic. Verstappen completed a strategy that was calculated to be 3.38 seconds slower than Piastri’s, showing the impact of the differing tire strategies. McLaren’s decision to run used medium tires from the start of the race put both drivers at a disadvantage, as they had to battle with traffic throughout the stints. The choice of stop lap played a significant role in Norris gaining time over Verstappen during the race, further highlighting the importance of tire strategy.
Team Strategy vs. Driver Performance:
In the final stint, Norris was instructed by the team to hold position behind Piastri, even though he believed he was the faster driver and could make progress. The team’s decision was likely influenced by concerns about track limit violations as Norris and Piastri had already been warned twice. This demonstrates the delicate balance between team strategy and individual driver performance, impacting the outcome of the race.
Conclusion:
Despite a strong performance and a second double podium finish for McLaren, it appears that victory at the Qatar Grand Prix would have been challenging. Verstappen’s pace throughout the race, along with the impact of tire strategy and track limit violations, favored the Dutchman. While a better starting position and altered grid could have potentially improved McLaren’s chances, the analysis suggests that Verstappen still had the pace to win. The complexities of the race make it difficult to determine a definitive outcome, but McLaren’s performance showcased their competitiveness on the track.
Additional Piece:
Delving Deeper into the Implications of Sprint Races:
The introduction of Sprint races to the Formula 1 calendar has brought an additional layer of excitement and unpredictability to the weekend format. While the Qatar Sprint race showcased McLaren’s strong performance and Piastri’s first F1 win, it also highlighted the challenges drivers face in terms of starting positions and strategy.
The Sprint format, consisting of a shorter race on Saturday to determine the starting grid for the main event, presents an opportunity for drivers to make up positions and secure a favorable starting position. However, as demonstrated by Norris’s poor launch in the Qatar Sprint race, a less-than-optimal start can have significant consequences in the main race.
Furthermore, qualifying becomes even more critical in Sprint races, as it determines the initial starting positions for the Saturday race. Any mistakes or track limit violations during qualifying can have a substantial impact on a driver’s prospects for the Sprint race and, subsequently, the main event. This was evident in the Qatar Grand Prix, where track limit violations affected both Norris and Piastri’s starting positions, putting them at a disadvantage.
The nature of Sprint races also raises questions about tire management and the impact of compulsory pit stops. With limited race laps in the Sprint race, drivers must carefully strategize their tire choices and stint lengths to maximize performance and mitigate the effects of traffic. McLaren’s decision to start the race on used medium tires compromised their ability to fight for higher positions, as they found themselves battling with traffic throughout the stints.
In conclusion, Sprint races add an exciting dimension to the Formula 1 weekend, injecting more action and unpredictability into the sport. However, the format presents unique challenges for drivers and teams, as starting positions, tire strategy, and track limit enforcement play significant roles in determining the final outcome. The Qatar Grand Prix exemplified these challenges for McLaren, showcasing their potential for victory while also highlighting the complexities they faced. As Sprint races continue to be integrated into the calendar, teams and drivers must adapt and strategize effectively to optimize their chances of success.
—————————————————-
| Article | Link |
|---|---|
| UK Artful Impressions | Premiere Etsy Store |
| Sponsored Content | View |
| 90’s Rock Band Review | View |
| Ted Lasso’s MacBook Guide | View |
| Nature’s Secret to More Energy | View |
| Ancient Recipe for Weight Loss | View |
| MacBook Air i3 vs i5 | View |
| You Need a VPN in 2023 – Liberty Shield | View |
McLaren finished the Qatar Grand Prix with a second double podium of the year, with Oscar Piastri and teammate Lando Norris P2 and P3 respectively behind winner Max Verstappen.
It was a great result, but after the race Norris suggested that victory would have been possible if he had had a better classification and, therefore, a better starting position. “The pace was good enough to win today,” she said. “We had the pace to probably be on top if I didn’t make the mistakes I made at the beginning of the weekend. [in qualifying].”
Former Aston Martin strategist Bernie Collins has taken a look at the data to see if he was right…
Let’s start by looking at what Sprint can tell us. McLaren started from P1 (Piastri) and P2 (Norris) and finished with Piastri in P1 and Norris in P3, pipped to second place by Verstappen.
READ MORE: Piastri excited after overcoming ‘very stressful’ Qatar Sprint race to claim first F1 win
Norris initially lost position to Verstappen at the start of the race with a poor launch that saw him drop from P2 to P6 on the first lap. Verstappen also lost positions from P3 on the grid to fifth, but made quick progress and closed the gap on Piastri, but was unable to overtake.
Norris, slower to make up positions, was matching Verstappen’s times in the closing laps, however both drivers were largely in traffic. Therefore, despite using similar tires, it is very difficult to get an accurate pace comparison between the cars.
2023 Qatar GP Sprint: Verstappen drops to fifth at start as Lawson’s spin triggers safety car
It’s safe to say that Verstappen was faster than Piastri, as the Dutchman was able to close the gap to the McLaren, and it is very likely that he was also faster than Norris, as he was able to progress faster through the field.
With limited racing laps due to three Safety Car periods, we didn’t have enough time to see how it all played out, but based on the above, it certainly looks like the Red Bull was quicker.
REPORT: Verstappen secures third F1 world title as Piastri takes Sprint victory in Qatar
Let’s move on to the main event. McLaren had a poor qualifying on Friday night due to the strict imposition of track limits. Piastri had a lap time removed from Q3, while Norris had both Their lap times were noted.
Verstappen, however, on his second fastest lap made a mistake at Turn 4, aborted the lap and parked in the garage before the end of the session. Using the theoretical best lap times of the three drivers from the session, the order would have been Verstappen, Norris and Piastri (see graph below).
Theoretical best lap times take the best individual sectors set by a driver and combine them into a best lap time. It is a measure of how good the lap time could be if a driver combined all three sectors perfectly.
Obviously, this allows the track limit violations by Norris and Piastri to be ignored. However, with the McLaren drivers’ lap times removed, Piastri was demoted to P6 on the grid and Norris to P10. However, from the theoretical best lap times we still have a measure that Verstappen was faster.
READ MORE: Norris and Piastri reflect on disastrous Q3 double lap eliminations in Qatar qualifying
So in the race, could McLaren have won?
Piastri finished 4.8 seconds behind Verstappen and Norris just 1.1 seconds further back. On lap 10, when Norris broke free of Esteban Ocon’s traffic, the difference with Verstappen was 10 seconds.
So it’s easy to see the argument that if Norris had been able to gain more than four seconds on Verstappen during the race, then perhaps if he had started closer he could have won.
One of the biggest points of contention of the weekend was the stint length limitations imposed by Pirelli and the FIA to ensure tire safety. With a maximum stint of 18 laps, this ensured a minimum three-stop race for everyone.
All three drivers started the race with a new set of hard tires and a new set of medium tires available.
However, Verstappen had two used medium tires with 17 laps available on each. Unfortunately, due to previous tire usage before the regulations were known, Piastri and Norris’ used medium tires only had 13 or 14 laps available.
This severely hampered the stint length and flexibility of stopping laps available to the McLaren team. Importantly, McLaren opted to run these medium tires used in the opening stints of the race on both cars. This forced both drivers into traffic.
READ MORE: How mandatory tire limits shaped an unusual Grand Prix in Qatar
On the contrary, for Red Bull with Verstappen, the flexibility of the tire life allowed the period to be extended. Red Bull extended each stint close to the maximum tire life to avoid traffic and protect itself from any Safety Car deployment.
This caused Verstappen to complete a strategy that was suboptimal in total race time, with the Dutchman’s strategy calculated to be 3.38 seconds slower than Piastri’s (see chart below).
While McLaren had traffic in previous stints, Verstappen encountered a series of blue flag events at the end of his third stint, prompting him to complain to the team over the radio.
With the time lost by both teams through traffic roughly equal, the stop lap selection represents the majority of the time Norris gained over Verstappen throughout the race.
In the final stint, Norris ran around 1.5 seconds behind Piastri under instructions from the team not to compete for position. Norris questioned the decision, feeling that he was the faster driver and could progress, however the team responded that they were concerned about Russell’s attack later in the race.
In reality, the team was probably concerned about track limits violations, as Piastri and Norris had already been notified twice for drifting and therefore risking penalties.
READ MORE: Qatar’s 5 winners and 5 losers: Who impressed under the lights in Lusail?
For the Qatar race, the small differences on the standing lap favor McLaren’s pace, so although they were much closer to Verstappen than in previous Grands Prix, I fear they were not close enough to have won this time, even with a higher position on the grid.
And if Norris and Piastri had qualified higher and altered the grid, that might not have resulted in any collisions between the two Mercedes drivers. So the ‘what if’ scenario is probably too complex to answer, but my best guess is that Verstappen still had the pace to win.
Race Highlights: Qatar Grand Prix 2023
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.the-strategist-norris-reckons-he-could-have-won-in-qatar-with-a-better-grid.17rcL19cSRQ7WvBIW9YEXt.html
—————————————————-