McLaren’s strategy blunder a “wake-up call” ahead of Abu Dhabi title decider

Ex-F1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya believes McLaren’s technique blunder on the Qatar Grand Prix is a crucial “wake-up name” forward of this weekend’s title decider.

Lando Norris, Max Verstappen and Oscar Piastri are all nonetheless in F1 title rivalry heading into this weekend’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Norris has a 12-point lead over Verstappen, so a podium end for the previous will probably be sufficient to take the title.

Piastri will doubtless want a retirement for Norris, and to beat Verstappen to the win, to grow to be 2025 F1 world champion.

The McLaren pair’s job has been made considerably tougher after a poor technique name in Qatar.

Not like the remainder of the sector, McLaren opted to maintain their two drivers out on monitor below the Lap 7 Security Automotive.

Whereas this gave them monitor place, it successfully handed Verstappen 26 seconds in race time, as he may make one in every of his two stops below the Security Automotive.

McLaren couldn’t convert both driver to a one-stop technique because of the guidelines put in place by Pirelli for the weekend — a most of 25 laps on one set of tyres amid security considerations.

Whereas it was a “tough weekend” for McLaren, Montoya feels it ought to push them to be much less conservative within the title decider.

“I believe really having this tough of a weekend is an efficient factor,” Montoya stated on F1 TV’s post-race present.

“It’s a giant wake-up name. It’s ‘oh my god we have to not be conservative’. All of the drivers are pi**ed off. Lando is aware of he had a tough weekend. From the primary follow he struggled, he was sideways.

“He was by no means snug right here and I believe going to Abu Dhabi it’s going to be an excellent monitor for McLaren once more.

“Actually, Max goes to present it the most effective however the massive query mark is that if the Pink Bull is best, when does McLaren gonna go to Oscar and say ‘hey, we have to work right here collectively’.”

Norris “has to clear his head”

Jolyon Palmer thinks Norris stays the “massive favorite” regardless of two troublesome rounds.

Norris and Piastri had been disqualified from the Las Vegas Grand Prix resulting from extreme plank put on.

With out that, Norris would have been topped champion in Qatar.

Palmer has referred to as on Norris to “clear his head” forward of the large finale.

“I nonetheless assume Lando is the large favorite. He has to clear his head,” Palmer added.

“I used to be simply considering. Max could be out of this championship as a result of after Las Vegas Lando had a 42-point benefit between getting a DSQ and having a technique gaff, that has come to this point down.

“They had been engraving most likely the trophy after the chequered flag fell. While you really feel that you simply’ve been that shut and now out of the blue another person may win it’s anyone. The psychological reset he’s obtained to have proper now’s big however I believe he can do it and McLaren nonetheless have the most effective automobile.”