Lando Norris, from Great Britain, driving for McLaren MCL38, exited the pit lane ahead of Max Verstappen, from the Netherlands, who was racing for Red Bull Racing RB20. This took place during the Formula 1 World Championship, Stage 9, Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal, Canada, on 09.06.2024, which was race day.
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner claimed that McLaren missed the opportunity to win the Canadian Grand Prix in Formula 1 when they made a late switch to slick tires. Norris took advantage of his well-preserved intermediate tires, which were in better condition than his competitors, to overtake both Max Verstappen and pole position George Russell as soon as the Drag Reduction System (DRS) was activated. However, McLaren lost the lead when they were slow to pit during a Safety Car period. Horner argues that the turning point actually came later in the race.
McLaren chose to delay Norris’ tire change to slicks as they saw an opportunity to make a pass while their rivals struggled to generate heat in the dry tires. Despite Norris building a big enough gap to exit the pits ahead of Verstappen, the British driver had difficulties on the wet pit exit, allowing the Red Bull driver to regain the lead. Horner suggests that McLaren would have had a better chance of holding the position if they had pitted one lap earlier, when Verstappen was struggling with the medium tires.
“I thought we were in a much better position as the track dried out,” Horner told Autosport. “We were able to maintain a consistent gap and then it all came down to timing the pit stop correctly, as the first sector was still quite wet. When you come out of the pitlane, you lose a significant amount of temperature in the tires. I felt we timed that switch to the medium tire at the right moment. While Lando managed to capitalize enough to reach the 20-second mark, and that stayed within that range, every lap we completed, the tires were getting warmer. I was surprised that McLaren didn’t pit after one lap. They left it for two laps, and that was crucial because it gave Max another lap to generate temperature. When Lando finally made the pit stop, Verstappen had tires that were within the ideal temperature range and managed to establish a three-second gap in sector one. So, the timing of the pit stop was crucial.”
Horner admitted that McLaren seemed poised to dominate the race, with Norris leading the way as the track dried out in the early stages and he quickly built a seven-second advantage.
“At the start of the race, we were very competitive and put a lot of pressure on George, pulling away from the cars behind us by seven seconds,” he explained.
“Our setup was well suited to the wet conditions, but as the DRS opened, we lost some ground to George and Lando was able to get closer as the track dried out.
“Interestingly, it seemed like Mercedes was having more difficulties than us, but we struggled to overtake, which allowed Lando to pass us easily.”
“At this point, it seemed like McLaren was the clear favorite to win the race. However, pit stops came into play and we switched to a new set of intermediate tires.
“A Safety Car was deployed, which leveled the playing field, and the adjustments we made put us in a better position.”
© 2024
Brazilian soccer is about to receive some exciting news! According to reliable sources, renowned soccer player Cristiano Ronaldo is considering the possibility of transferring to a Brazilian club next season. The news has caused a great stir among sports fans, who are eager to see the star in action on Brazilian fields.
According to the information, Ronaldo would be interested in playing in Brazil to experience a new chapter in his career. The player, who has already played for top clubs in Europe such as Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Juventus, is seeking new challenges and sees Brazilian soccer as a unique opportunity.
There is still no information on which Brazilian club would be Ronaldo’s destination, but it is speculated that some of the country’s top teams have already been in contact with the player and his agent to discuss the possibility of a transfer. The news has excited fans, who are already imagining what it would be like to see the star in action in the Brazilian Championship.
Furthermore, Cristiano Ronaldo’s possible arrival in Brazil would also bring great benefits to national soccer. The presence of the player would attract even more attention to the sport in the country, increasing fans’ interest and also investment in infrastructure and the development of Brazilian soccer.
However, it is important to emphasize that there is still no official confirmation about Ronaldo’s transfer to Brazil. Negotiations are ongoing and anything can happen in the coming months. Fans will have to eagerly await more information and hope that this news becomes a reality.
With the possible arrival of Cristiano Ronaldo, Brazilian football could reach a new level of quality and visibility. We must wait to see if this transfer will actually happen and what will be the destination of the superstar in Brazil. Fans are in anticipation and hoping that the player chooses the country as his next challenge.
