McLaren's Strategic Struggles Under Scrutiny
Following the Miami Grand Prix, former F1 presenter Will Buxton has voiced strong criticism regarding McLaren’s operational decision-making. Buxton argues that the Woking-based team has developed a concerning pattern of making strategic errors that cost their drivers significant results.
The Turning Point in Miami
During the race at the Miami International Autodrome, Lando Norris was leading the pack with Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes closely trailing. The race dynamics shifted when the Brackley team successfully executed an undercut on the leader. Although McLaren attempted to respond by pitting Norris on the following lap, a sluggish pitstop compared to their rivals allowed the advantage to slip away.
Reflecting on the outcome, Norris expressed his disappointment to 2009 champion Jenson Button: «We just got undercut. There’s no excuses other than that. We got undercut. We should have boxed first. I’m gutted to miss out on a win here in Miami, I think it was possible today. But yeah, not the pace to get back past him in the end, so we take it on the chin.»
A Recurring Pattern of Errors
Speaking on the Up To Speed podcast, Buxton emphasized that these tactical lapses are not isolated incidents:
«When it comes to strategy... it seems that too often they either panic and pit when they don't need to, or they take too long, and they don't pit when they should have. And it happens far too frequently. There are far too many occasions when the drivers end the race frustrated because they knew they had the car under them to win, but the strategy let them down.»
Buxton noted that this issue has persisted for over two years without significant improvement. He pointed out that while the team has brought in veteran expertise like Will Courtenay from Red Bull, the transition to a more effective strategic process remains a work in progress. Despite the frustration, Buxton acknowledged the importance of McLaren remaining competitive as they are currently the primary challengers capable of pressuring Mercedes on a weekly basis.