Miami, Florida – Last year, McLaren arrived for the Miami Grand Prix of Miami 2024 as helpless in the network. But an update package that the team brought to the Miami International Autodromo paid immediate dividends, since Lando Norris captured his first victory of the Grand Prix. The victory triggered a cheerful celebration in the Paddock that night, completed with none that the director of the Ferrari team, Frederic Vasseur, joined the celebration by showing the CEO of McLaren Zak Brown, as well as Norris, with champagne.
On Sunday night at the Paddock it was more of the same, since the entire McLaren team met again for a photograph in front of its hospitality space to celebrate a dominant victory of Oscar Piasstri and a result of Norris P2. However, the celebration was more silenced. The champagne was there, of course, the smell that emanates from my shoes can try that point, but there was a quieter confidence in the scene than anything else.
Which perhaps tells the story of F1 at this time.
McLaren remains the dominant force in the grid at this time, and although the spaces can vary from one circuit to another, and nothing is a fact in this sport, they are the hunted. They are no longer Broppy’s helpless who are looking for their first victory, but are the team that everyone is chasing and hoping to emulate.
“Compared to two years ago, it is a different incredible place to be,” Piastri said at the FIA press conference.
“Determination and hard work have always been there. Only two years ago, we knew that things were in process to help us get to the front. So, while we delayed twice that day in Miami two years, there was optimism and determination.
“Clearly, last year with Lando’s victory, that was good for the entire team in terms of finally having a car capable of winning a race again, by merit. Obviously 1-2 in Monza a few years ago, but Miami last season was the signage that pointed faster.
“Now, it is a continuation of that. Determination and hard work are still identical, only joy and celebrations are a bit more frequent, which is good. But we know we have a lot of competition. Being first knows, less Tunri.” So there will be challenges with Bee on the front, but it is an incredible place to be. “
The director of the McLaren team, Andrea Stella, praised the entire team, and in particular to the engineers, in her comments after the race to the media, including SB nation.
“I think we have seen before, we have talked about this several times, that when the conditions are challenging for the tires in terms of overheating in particular, then the car seems to be doing a good job to keep the tires in a very good window.”
“Very good engineering behind this.
“We have seen all the characteristics that it can have in a car that influences the behavior of the tires, and I just want to take the opportunity to praise the work that engineers have done in McLaren.”
Stella also took a moment to reflect on the growth of one year to the next, in parentheses for a couple of victories in Miami.
“Today was an exceptional result for McCaren at the end of a notable weekend. The first and second yesterday at the Sprint, followed by the first and second time today at the Miami Grand Prix, which is the first for any team in a Sprint mind, and it was a great tour of points. Anniversary of our first victory of this era, which was a fundamental myth in the direction and development of our team,” added the state of our first victory.
There is a new confidence in this team, and it is difficult not to remember where they were not long ago. When I interviewed Norris before the Azerbaijan Grand Prix of 2023, he granted that they were simply fighting points.
Now the victories and the championships are the expectations, the expectations that are underlined by the difference in two celebrations in Miami, with a year apart. The first celebration was marked by joy and relief, the other focused on the feeling of quiet trust and the belief that this is the new normality in McLaren.
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