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McLaren Thanks Mercedes for Vegas Rescue as Constructors’ Championship Race Heats Up

Carl Harrison by Carl Harrison
December 4, 2024
in Motorsports
Reading Time: 3 mins read
0
McLaren Thanks Mercedes for Vegas Rescue as Constructors’ Championship Race Heats Up

Nov 23, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Mercedes AMG Petronas driver George Russell (63) eads Scuderia Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc (16) during the Las Vegas Grand Prix at Las Vegas Circuit. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

McLaren narrowly avoided a significant blow to its Constructors’ Championship ambitions in Las Vegas, crediting Mercedes for shielding it from a full-on Ferrari assault. With Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri struggling for pace, McLaren found itself as the fourth-fastest team, dangerously vulnerable to Ferrari’s charge. But thanks to Mercedes’ dominant 1-2 finish, the damage was limited, keeping McLaren’s title hopes intact.


“We Owe Mercedes a Thank You”

Ferrari clawed back 12 points in Vegas, trimming McLaren’s lead to 24 points with just two rounds remaining. Reflecting on the weekend, McLaren team boss Andrea Stella didn’t hold back in expressing gratitude for Mercedes’ performance.

“It’s disappointing that we lost 12 points in the championship,” Stella admitted. “But considering how much we struggled this weekend, we really have to thank Mercedes for securing P1 and P2. Otherwise, Ferrari would have been an even bigger threat in the Constructors’ Championship.”

The stakes are higher than ever as McLaren heads to Qatar and Abu Dhabi, venues that theoretically play to the strengths of its MCL38. However, Stella remains cautious, noting that 2024’s unprecedented level of competition means nothing can be taken for granted.


“This Is No Easy Ride”

While Qatar’s high-speed Losail Circuit suits McLaren’s package better than Las Vegas, Stella warned that the margins between the top four teams—Red Bull, Mercedes, Ferrari, and McLaren—are razor-thin.

“I can’t remember a season where four teams were operating at such a high level,” Stella said. “Not only are they capable of winning, but they can dominate—like Mercedes did in Vegas with a faultless weekend.”

Stella emphasized that complacency could spell disaster in the remaining races, especially with Ferrari, Red Bull, and Mercedes all armed with insights gained from Las Vegas.


Qatar: A Decisive Battleground

McLaren’s struggles with low-speed corners left it vulnerable in Las Vegas, but Qatar’s high-speed layout offers hope. Piastri’s sprint race victory at Losail in 2023 is a reminder of what the team is capable of on favorable terrain.

“If we maximize the car’s potential, Qatar’s layout should work to our advantage,” Stella said. “But I would expect Ferrari, Red Bull, and Mercedes to be in a position to win there too. It’s going to be a fight to the very end.”


Constructors’ Title Within Reach

McLaren could seal the Constructors’ Championship as early as Qatar if it outscores Ferrari by 21 points and limits Red Bull’s gains to 14 points. But as Stella pointed out, the team must deliver flawlessly to fend off its competitors.

“I always try to make things boring,” Stella joked. “But this final stretch is far from it. We need to bring our A-game if we want to cross the finish line ahead in Abu Dhabi.”

With the clock ticking on the 2024 season, the fight for supremacy is tighter than ever, promising high drama in the closing chapters of a historic F1 campaign.

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