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Strategic Missteps Cost McLaren Pole Position in Chinese Grand Prix Sprint Race

Carl Harrison by Carl Harrison
March 21, 2025
in Motorsports
Reading Time: 3 mins read
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Strategic Missteps Cost McLaren Pole Position in Chinese Grand Prix Sprint Race

Lewis Hamilton, the celebrated Formula 1 racer, once again proved his mettle by snagging the pole position in the Chinese Grand Prix sprint race. This achievement is even more commendable given that it’s only his second race with Ferrari, and he significantly outshone his teammate Charles Leclerc who has been grappling with performance issues.

Max Verstappen, despite driving a Red Bull which is usually considered inferior in terms of speed, also managed to secure a spot on the front row. However, the real talking point of the race was the somewhat surprising performance of McLaren, which, despite possessing the fastest car, could only qualify third (Oscar Piastri) and sixth (Lando Norris).

In retrospect, it appears that McLaren might have made a strategic misstep. They adopted a cautious push-cool-push sequence in the short-duration SQ3. The potential for error was high due to gusty winds, and the McLaren car is known to be particularly sensitive to such conditions. McLaren’s strategy seemed to be designed to counter any potential setbacks.

This strategy was likely influenced by McLaren’s impressive show of speed earlier in the day during practice. Norris had a remarkably fast lap, finishing over 0.4 seconds ahead of everyone else in FP1. However, as the race track continued to fasten, McLaren’s plan inadvertently put them in a disadvantageous position. Their cars were carrying an extra 2.6kg of fuel on the first flyers, and by the time they reached their final ones, the track was at its best but their tyres were past their prime.

In contrast, Ferrari, Red Bull, and Mercedes, recognizing McLaren’s speed, chose to risk it all with single-lap runs, carrying less fuel and going out late. Within this context, Hamilton grabbed his pole position and Verstappen, taking full advantage of the improving conditions, managed to get within 0.018s of the pole.

Intriguingly, despite the burden of extra fuel and worn tyres, Piastri could have clinched the pole by 0.039s from the next non-McLaren car had he combined the best sectors of his two laps. This suggests that McLaren’s inherent speed, ironically, was its downfall. Norris, in particular, had a challenging time, being forced to abandon his final lap due to a lock-up at the hairpin and an oversteer snap at Turn 13 during his first lap.

Speaking on the challenges, Norris explained that their car seemed to be more affected by the wind than others. He also alluded to the difficulties they had with the car, which were more evident during the race. Despite these hurdles, Norris maintained that the car was still good.

Tyre management was another critical factor in the race. With Pirelli setting a high minimum of 27.5 psi for the front tyres, overheating was a significant concern. McLaren, which had previously demonstrated better control of rear tyre temperatures, found itself grappling with managing the front tyres as track temperatures rose during qualifying.

Another crucial point was the decision to pit in SQ1 to cool the tyres. McLaren drivers opted to stay out and lap slowly, but this approach seemed to be less effective. Hamilton, who chose to pit, subsequently recorded the best SQ1 time.

In hindsight, McLaren’s SQ3 strategy was flawed, especially considering the front tyres’ reluctance to achieve optimum temperature and pressure after a push lap and the improving track grip. Despite these setbacks, Hamilton and Ferrari made the right calls, leading to Hamilton’s triumph.

Hamilton, reflecting on his performance, acknowledged that the previous race had been challenging. However, he expressed satisfaction with his car’s performance and his strong first sector despite being a quarter-second slower than Norris.

Verstappen, on the other hand, was pleased with his performance but acknowledged that his car was slightly slower. Leclerc, who finished fourth, admitted that he struggled with the first few turns and that Hamilton was faster. George Russell and Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes, who were 0.32s and 0.35s behind Hamilton respectively, felt their performances were in line with the car’s capabilities at the time.

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