Since their renaissance in 2019, McLaren have enjoyed one of their most successful F1 seasons this year. While they occupy third place in the constructors’ championship, Lando Norris has achieved three podium places in the title fight between Mercedes and Red Bull.
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At the British Grand Prix, Norris and Ricciardo finished P5 and P6 in the first sprint qualifying race. However, Fernando Alonso was a constant threat to the British team during the 100km race. Six days later, their F1 director Randy Singh spoke about the influence of the Spaniards on their strategies at Silverstone.
McLaren describes how Fernando Alonso put the soft tires to good use in the British Grand Prix
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Alonso had a difficult qualifying last Friday and finished on P11. While sprint qualifying allowed a free choice of tires, all drivers except Valtteri Bottas opted for medium-sized tires. However, the Spaniard deviated from the top 10 and started the 100 km race on the soft compound tires.
Although the soft compounds have a shorter tire life than the medium ones, Alonso got off to a breathtaking start on Saturday. The 39-year-old drove straight to P7 on the first lap and stayed there until the end of the race. In addition, he worried Norris and Ricciardo throughout the race, which led McLaren to ask questions.
In her British Grand Prix debriefing, Singh admitted that it is difficult to determine exactly whether it is the tires or the skill of the driver that makes a difference. He said: “It is very difficult to tell how many tires there are and how many cars and drivers there are. Did someone like Fernando get off to a good start because he had a soft tire on, or did he fit a soft tire because he has good starts and wanted to maximize the potential? “
While Alonso’s ability is undisputed, his tire choice undoubtedly contributed to his Silverstone weekend.
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Singh: We decided that sprint qualifying needed fresh tires
While 16 cars opted for mid-size tires in Sprint Qualifying, Singh explained why these tires were the ideal choice.
Formula 1 F1 – Great Britain Grand Prix – Silverstone Circuit, Silverstone, Great Britain – July 18, 2021 McLaren’s Lando Norris during the REUTERS / Andrew Couldridge race
He said, “The weekend was a lot of planning and one thing we decided on was making sure we had a new tire to start the sprint with, in this case a medium. Strategically, it was pretty easy.
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“Most of the other teams drove just like us – even if some drivers tried the soft.”
With the Hungarian Grand Prix coming up, McLaren will look to continue their formidable form this season. However, with Ferrari lurking behind them, the British team will face a challenge at the Hungaroring.
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WATCH HISTORY: What are sprint races and where are they held?
The post McLaren explains that Alonso gave them a massive headache with a brilliant British GP performance first appeared on monter-une-startup.
