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“Toto and Lewis Were Looking at Our Cars” Attempts to Copy the…. Rival F1 Team Exposed Mercedes
“Toto and Lewis Were Looking at Our Cars” Attempts to Copy the…. Rival F1 Team Exposed Mercedes.
McLaren’s Ingenious Move: How the Papaya Team Outsmarted Mercedes in F1 Development
Published: 12/22/2023, 3:57 PM WAT
Racing Revelations: Aston Martin’s Confusion and McLaren’s Ascension
At the onset of the Formula 1 season, the racing community witnessed Aston Martin, a Mercedes customer team, surprisingly outpace the works team. The perplexity deepened as McLaren, another Silver Arrows customer, emerged as one of the fastest cars towards the season’s end. This unexpected shift prompted questions about Mercedes’ conceptual confusion and the source of McLaren’s inspiration.
Mercedes’ Disappointing 2023 Campaign
Mercedes’ 2023 campaign fell short of expectations, with the Zeropod concept from the previous year discarded after a couple of races. Despite introducing a new concept at the Monaco GP, the team struggled with development, consistently lagging behind. In stark contrast, McLaren, initially the slowest on the grid, transformed into a formidable contender, showcasing impressive progress.
“Toto and Lewis Were Looking at Our Cars” Attempts to Copy the…. Rival F1 Team Exposed Mercedes
McLaren’s Director Unveils the Secrets
Mark Norris, McLaren’s Director of Operations, shed light on the Papaya Team’s development prowess. According to Norris, McLaren’s development statistics surpassed those of any other team, a testament to their commitment and innovation. Surprisingly, even Lewis Hamilton and Toto Wolff took a keen interest in McLaren’s cars. Norris revealed, “In Brazil, Toto and Lewis were standing at the front of the garage, looking at our cars. It’s been really interesting. People who ignored us for years now realize that we are serious contenders.”
Mercedes’ Glimpse into the Future
While Mercedes struggled to challenge Red Bull in the 2023 season, optimism for 2024 is on the horizon. James Allison, in a recent appearance on the Performance People podcast, shared insights into the progress made with the W15. Despite a challenging season, Mercedes remains hopeful, with Allison stating, “We’ve made quite a lot of progress with next year’s car. Whether it proves sufficient or not, only time will tell.”
READ: ‘I can’t race forever’ Lewis Hamilton revealed what he will do when he retire
Contrasting Approaches: Red Bull vs. Mercedes
Christian Horner and Toto Wolff, key figures at Red Bull and Mercedes, presented divergent approaches for the upcoming season. Horner hinted at an evolution of the RB19 with the RB20, while Wolff emphasized a completely new design with the W15. The stakes are high, and Mercedes fans find solace in James Allison’s optimism regarding the team’s depth and progress.
Lewis Hamilton’s High-Speed Antics
Amidst the strategic developments in the F1 world, Lewis Hamilton’s high-speed shenanigans with Zak Brown’s latest ally have sent fans into a frenzy. The article delves into the thrilling escapades that keep fans on the edge of their seats.
McLaren’s strategic and innovative approach to development has not only surprised the F1 community but also attracted the attention of rivals. As the racing landscape evolves, the contrasting trajectories of McLaren and Mercedes add intrigue to the upcoming seasons. The F1 world awaits with bated breath to see which team will emerge as the ultimate powerhouse on the track.
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A former Ferrari engineer has criticised the decision to bring in Lewis Hamilton and thinks the Brit’s presence will mean “a lot of potential for drama”.
At the age of 40, seven-time Formula 1 champion Hamilton will form a formidable driver partnership with Charles Leclerc. His big switch comes at the expense of Carlos Sainz, who has performed well for the Italian squad but who was axed so they had room for their blockbuster new signing.
But not everyone of a Ferrari persuasion is convinced that it will go well. Ernest Knoors, who spent many years as an engineer at Maranello, specialising in power units, worries that Hamilton’s presence could do more harm than good for a team that is finding its groove under Frederic Vasseur.
“A big name like Hamilton also brings a lot of politics and if politics within Ferrari are not managed well, then there is a lot of potential for drama,” he told Formule1.nl. “Hamilton has the tendency that if things do not work out, he turns his whole car upside down and starts experimenting.
“Ferrari believes very much in the big personalities and will follow him. But Hamilton is just someone you have to guide a little bit and not give the freedom to rebuild the whole car, because then it will go completely wrong. So I do not know if it is such a smart move, but of course it is nice for the sport.”
News of Hamilton’s planned move broke on February 1, coinciding with football’s Transfer Deadline Day. That the back pages of many newspapers were dominated by the decision of Hamilton to swap Mercedes for Ferrari was testament to the magnitude of the announcement.
Sainz was not surprised as he had been informed by his team of the plan ahead of it being made public. But the Spaniard responded well with two victories to date this season and five further appearances on the podium, on the way to what looks likely to be a fifth-placed finish in the championship – two spots and 54 points ahead of Hamilton.
Sainz has signed for Williams next year and, after several years of running at the front of the grid, will focus on his new challenge of helping restore one of the grid’s most historic teams to its former glory. But Knoors believes he should have been kept on by Ferrari instead.
The Dutchman added: “I see Lewis Hamilton’s arrival at Ferrari more as a PR move. With all due respect, Hamilton is not going to take that Ferrari from P6 to P1. He will get the most out of it, but what Ferrari has to do is make that car faster. And if you make that car faster, you can easily drive at the front with the current line-up.
“Besides, as a team you have to look further on the horizon. If Hamilton becomes champion in the coming years, he and Ferrari will become immortal. But if you want to build a team with talent for the next five years, are you going to build on Hamilton? No, because he will really be finished after two or three years. That is why I would have kept the very strong line-up that Ferrari has now.”
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Chase Elliott had a front-row seat for one of NASCAR’s most bizarre moments of the 2024 Cup Series season. At the start of Stage 2, the pace car dove onto pit road in front of Elliott; however, it was a tad too late. The pace car made contact with the sand barrels at the entry of pit road and caused a red flag for cleanup.
Initially, there was some speculation on the NBC Sports broadcast, even from the No. 9 team, that Elliott made contact with the pace car. Fortunately, the pace car didn’t slide across the No. 9 car’s nose, but it undoubtedly provided one of NASCAR’s craziest red flag moments in recent memory.
Below, you can listen to Elliott and the No. 9 team react to the pace car crashing into the sand barrels on pit road at Phoenix during Championship Weekend!
Reflecting on the recent retirement of 2017 NASCAR Cup Series champion Martin Truex Jr., Earnhardt didn’t mince words about the toll NASCAR takes on its drivers. Speaking candidly, the two-time Daytona 500 winner admitted that the pressure to perform every week left him feeling miserable for most of his racing career—a sentiment he believes is shared by many of his peers.
“Right or wrong, racing made me a miserable person 90% of the time,” Earnhardt confessed. “And him too. I mean, ask Kyle Busch, ask anybody—unless you’re winning, you’re not happy.”
For these elite drivers, the sport is a relentless grind. A podium finish might bring temporary relief, but anything short of victory is often a source of frustration. The immense effort poured into preparation and execution rarely feels like it pays off unless the checkered flag is theirs.
Earnhardt highlighted the mental toll of falling short, explaining how the relentless focus on winning can overshadow the joy of simply competing. Even a solid performance feels hollow compared to the euphoria of a win.
“Unless you’re winning, you’re not happy at all,” he said. “You’re okay with a good run, but for the most part, all the effort it takes just to run good—it doesn’t weigh out.”
For drivers, the stakes are sky-high every week. Sponsors, fans, and teams demand nothing less than excellence, leaving little room for error or personal satisfaction in anything less than a dominant performance.
Earnhardt also shared insights into his friendship with Martin Truex Jr., who recently announced his retirement. While the two often spend time hunting together during NASCAR’s off-season, Earnhardt noted that the stress of racing even creeps into their leisure activities.
“When I’m with him during hunting season, it’s always in the back of his mind,” Earnhardt said. “It’s that stressful part of the year when he’s as miserable as he’s going to be.”
Now, with Truex stepping away from the track, Earnhardt looks forward to seeing a lighter, happier version of his long-time friend. Without the weight of weekly competition hanging over him, Truex might finally be able to relax and enjoy the outdoor lifestyle he cherishes.
“It’ll be fun to see him loosen up,” Earnhardt added.
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