Many experts are convinced that McLaren had the best car in the first half of the season. The MCL38, driven by formidable racers like Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, even outperformed Max Verstappen. How do former McLaren drivers Carlos Sainz and Daniel Ricciardo view this rise of the papayas? “I never predicted this.”
Carlos Sainz, who spent two seasons with McLaren between 2019 and 2020, admitted that he could not have predicted such a rapid rise to the top of the field. “I never expected this,” he said at a press conference ahead of the Belgian GP. “I think when I left McLaren four years ago, I did have the feeling that the team was heading in the right direction. The team was in a good place and I had a very good time there.”
McLaren’s Resurgence: A Matter of Time
“So when I left, I knew it would only be a matter of time before they would bounce back,” the Spaniard continued. “It would take them two years, four years, or six years to become the old McLaren again – we all know the successes they have achieved in the past. I already had the feeling that they had the right people on board to guide a resurgence. It took three or four years, but I think they have made very big steps, especially in the past year.”
‘A Surprise’
Daniel Ricciardo is also somewhat surprised that McLaren is suddenly competing for the constructor’s title. “Of course, most of my time there was a bit of a struggle or a challenge,” he said. The Australian replaced Sainz in 2021 and also drove two seasons for the team from Woking. In 2023, he was dismissed in favor of Oscar Piastri. “But I never really predicted this,” he admitted.
“It’s a bit of a surprise that in two years, actually less than two years, they probably have the fastest package of everyone. But I don’t feel like, ‘Oh man, if only I could have had that.’ That’s just the way the sport is. You just have to tip your hat to them. Anyone who performs well in Formula 1 and can make such a big step in a short time, you have to compliment.”
McLaren’s Dramatic Turnaround
Where McLaren started the 2023 season dramatically, the team blossomed during the year. The British GP was a turning point for the papayas, who suddenly finished second and fourth. In 2024, the team has continued this upward trend. Last year, the Brits went into the summer break with 103 World Championship points, now the counter is at 366.
