McLaren hopes to end to fight for the Constructor Title. But the team of Woking needs to keep Ferrari behind.
McLaren’s season-long fight can end in Qatar
McLaren are currently the leader in the Constructors’ standings, with 608 points under their belt.
Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz gave Ferrari 584 points. With only 24 points between the two, the battle for the championship is between Woking and Maranello, just like the good old days.
But Qatar seems to be the perfect chance for McLaren to end this season with the title.
The perfect track to win
On paper, Lusail is a track that matches the MCL38 features better than Ferrari’s. It requires aerodynamic load and stability due to high-speed corners.
McLaren was already competitive in Qatar last season, and we can expect the MCL38 to be even better.
All the corners in Lusail are between 200 and 250 km/h, whilst the circuit has only one straight. Grip will also play a fundamental part in the race considering the wind in the desert.
Another aspect that needs to be considered is the smooth asphalt that, together with the high speed, could affect tyre management. Due to the characteristics of the track, it won’t be a problem to put the tyres in the temperatures for Quali, but overheating could be a resulting issue.
The problem for McLaren could be the graining. The team of Woking has already suffered from it back in Monza. And, considerng last year’s race, it can affect the MCL38 in Lusail as well.
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All the possible strategies
The tyres could win or break McLaren’s chances. Ferrari have better tyre management, but the Papayas could still fight back.
Pirelli, just like last season, have decided to choose the hardest compounds: C1, C2 and C3. But it’s difficult to predict how much graining there will be.
In 2023, Race Control opted for a three-stop race, with no need to save the tyres. But this season the two pit strategy seems the most probable option.
Another scenario could be the one pit stop strategy to maximise the time on the track and gain positions. But considering the track’s conditions, it seems highly unlikely.
We probably won’t see any Hard compounds during the Free Practice on Friday. On the other hand, we may see used Mediums during the Sprint.
McLaren could also use new Hard tyres on Saturday to gain as many points as possible during the Sprint. A risky solution, but it cannot be entirely ruled out.
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All the rivals for the Championship
Ferrari are the obvious contenders for the title against McLaren. There are only 24 points between the two.
If the Papayas manage to finish ahead of both Ferraris, they will win the title this weekend.
But Ferrari isn’t the only one who could overturn the result for McLaren. Mercedes and Red Bull are just around the corner.
Mercedes, who had a 1-2 in Vegas, have had strong performances on similar tracks. Both in Spa and Silverstone, the Silver Arrows were flying on the high-speed corners.
Red Bull can count on Max Verstappen. The now four-time world champion admitted that RB made some improvement after Austin. According to Verstappen though, the team is not as competitive as McLaren and Ferrari.
However, Mercedes and Red Bull could still stand in the way of McLaren and Ferrari this weekend. And, this way, they could be decisive factors for whether the trophy goes to Maranello or Woking.
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