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A walk down Lando Memory Lane - Lando focused GP rewatches: Introduction Navigation Supplementary

Hungarian GP 2024

Quick review: I dreaded coming to this race because I was well aware of the controversy but in the end, I was highly entertained because of how nonsensical it was. An actual cabaret. It's very much a case of if I won't laugh I'll cry but this clownery truly, deeply amused me, in the worst way, mostly because how easily avoided this whole fiasco was and how determined everyone was to not let it happen. Ridiculous from start to finish. Like watching a car crash. I am trying to give a very measured take here but I'm open and willing to discuss this race in length and have my opinion swayed in any direction. That being said, I will have to rewatch it some time without being so tapped in on the McLaren drama because there is a race somewhere in there.

Tagline: The sad story of Oscar Piastri's first win.

Rating: Put on the clown make up, play the circuis music and watch the whole thing.

Result: P1 to P2

Fair-o-meter: McLaren signing Oscar Piastri forced my hand, so for my own peace fo mind, I had to come up with the system I am committing to, as of writing this. Introducing Fair-o-meter: my test as to whether something was a fair call from the team. It works as such: would you ask your driver the same thing if it was in regards to a different car, and not the teammate. So in this case, if Max was in front, would McLaren be begging Lando to save up the tyres and try not to undercut him? Obviously no. It's that simple. It's not fair to Lando. Case closed.

I owe my soul to the company store: Now, here's the caveat: teams don't have to be fair. In the end, what matters to them is the result and the drivers are employers, so they can and should make calls that they deem best for them. Unfortunately, that means that they are also free to exercise their God-given right to stupidity and. Well...

Strategy Room: McLaren, guys, what the Hell have you been thinking and how are you still alive after what looked like a lethal dose of humiliation? It's one thing to just mess up strategy like in Silverstone but what was happening here was frankly unbelievable in how much of a situation™️ you managed to get yourself into. Quick rundown. We were at two-stopper and McLaren has pitted Lando first both times and repeatedly told him not to undercut Oscar and slow down. Second time around it was done as a reaction, allegedly, to protect P2 and P1 from both Lewis and Charles who were behind and just boxed. Unfortunately, even with Will breathing down his neck, Lando undercut Oscar. Then, he proceeded to build up a whooping 6s gap to him and in the end, as per team orders, he gave Oscar position back. Those are dry facts.

Piastri o~o moment: It is important to know that this situation had roots in Oscar making some crucial mistakes. And like, it's fine. It happens. But be aware they were costly: at one point he had a very comfortable 4s gap behind and he went of - all on his own, nobody was around - which shaved 2s off of that and likely forced team's hand a little bit and made the undercut possible in the first place. I saw people arguing that Oscar was faster, that he was listening to the team and managing his tyres and that's why he didn't catch up to Lando, but I think evidence suggests otherwise. 1. Oscar was told by his RE that once he'll get to Lando, they will swap positions but they want to avoid Lando having to give up a lot of race time. (L51) I think this suggest Oscar was expected to get to him. 2. Will tells Lando straight up on L64 he can't catch you up. 3. Oscar was on new mediums. Lando was on used mediums. True, Oscar quite possibly wrecked his ones after another trip into the gravel on T12 but that is on him, I'm afraid, since there was nobody around. 4. If he could, why didn't he? Don't tell me he was saving up tyres 12 laps till the end, come on, be for real. Also, take this with grain of salt because it's purely my evaluation, the quality doesn't always come through, all that , but, like, Oscar's tyres looked super dead at the end of the race. No wonder he couldn't catch up. So, yes, McLaren screwed both of their drivers over but it wasn't fully fully on them.

Messy boots: I know this situation has been beaten to death so I won't make this longer than it needs to be. I know I don't have any sway on f1blr but still, I don't watch to open any wounds. I will say this, however: what McLaren did was the antithesis of racing. Not letting your drivers race each other is bad enough but - and I want to drive this point home - they weren't merely asking Lando to move over. They were asking him to slow down and let the teammate through is something else. And not because they were going to attack someone up ahead. For a win! You have to see this is insane. It all boils down to two problems McLaren always struggled with. Number one: Mclaren are cowards. They will always go for safest call and it was their cowardice that dictated that ridiculous call to pit Lando first. Was he really under threat from Lewis and Charles? Really? Also worth noting, at very least, with Mercedes and Bottas, James Vowels had enough guts to call in himself. Call me sceptic, but Andrea Stella would never. As for the problem number two...

Obligatory Lando glazing: I don't think there is a single driver on the grid who, upon being given those team orders and that strategy, would give this position back. Even Crofty wonders, on L61: Would Max Verstappen move over? (I think we all know for a fact he wouldn't, Brazil 22?) Would Lewis Hamilton move over? (I highly doubt it.) Would Fernando Alonso move over? (I doubt even more.) Lando was out in a situation where he had to compromise his own race and McLaren's pit wall basically crossed their fingers hoping he will listen. I just cannot wrap my head around the fact that McLaren saw how the race was progressing and decided not to act, banking their entire strategy on Lando being nice guy. And that they were right.

My thorn: That start was not great. I am on the fence of it being fully Lando's fault, though, since he had confirmed throttle problems just before the race and McLaren said it's all fixed and good but I don't trust like that.

Tin Foil Hat On: Speaking of lack of trust. Will, post race, says: As we said this morning, mate, many more opportunities. Which is... interesting thing to say to a driver who starts on pole, isn't it? I don't want to come up with some elaborate conspiracy theory but... There's something so weird about how this race was handled. I was talking about it to my sister and at the end she asked: why? And truth be told, I have no clue. I just don't understand why any of this was necessary. Realistically, it's much easier to be an idiot than a mastermind and I will always consider incompetence before malice. Andrea Stella in the race report says: Lando giving the position back embodies the values of what it means to be part of the McLaren Formula 1 Team and the culture we instil (sic!) of being one team and putting the interests of the team first. So the tin foil hat theory is that there is no tin foil hat: The team made mistake and was scrambling to cover it up in name of fairness but the situation spiralled out of their control and they decided to double down because they are horrible in crisis.

Keeping it fair section: Sadly my attention was somewhat ruled by McLaren stupidity but when I could lock in on something else... Man, that Lewis' drive was amazing. I know, he's the best in the world and all but man it's so satisfying to see him driving. No wonder Nico sung him praises at the post race interviews, I would too! Bonus for Yuki in points and pulling off one-stopper. Sorry I didn't see much of it.

Fs in the chat: This is section for people who were done dirty by something out of their control - or it's supposed to be, I'm probably very inconsistent - so Pierre for DNF. Second in the row, ouch. And Lando. We can argue about the swap and its validity, but truth remains that the team didn't let him race Oscar, so he was robbed either way.

Broadcast notes: Camera was on fire. Absolutely insane shots on the T14 and everything looked so dynamic and sharp. I loved it, whichever crew was responsible, incredible job showcasing just how cool this sport is. Camera on Lando's car was crazy, though. It seemed much looser than what we usually get. L20: Box with information that Max is YET TO PIT. L48&L50 Lando's onboard camera was doing sbinalla on this lap. L63 Typo in Max's radio transcript: = whatever, man. Also, nearly all of Lando's radio was blasted on main. F1TV looooves drama!

Enemy of my Enemy is my Friend: This race was so bonkers I found myself agreeing with Martin the Commentator. But legit, he had solid takes today. He is known Max defender so I was shocked to hear him be critical and dolling out potential penalties Max's way. He defended Lando, saying that both McLaren drivers were obeying team orders, not just Oscar. (L59) Then, at L67, he defends Lando's right to race his teammate. Do you realize how insane is this coming from that man?

Brush with the Fourth Wall: This is more me having fun but Crofty L57: We didn't see it onboard but he's been gaining but there goes Verstappen in T4. Charles Leclerc needed a bit of DRS to try and stay ahead there. It didn't happened. Max Vertappen has now get his man.

Funny bit: L30 Crofty: Russell-hussle operation! (about George trying to get past Yuki)

Fashion corner: Lando's truly beautiful helmet.

Biblically accurate Alonso DRS train: Around L6 and people pitted the hell out of it as soon as they could.

Fastest Lap Lando: L5, L49

Good Guy Will count: 2

Mark Webber Jumpscare: 1 (L58) Bonus for Multi 21.

Saltburn: Will. You deserve to be dragged to the town's square, put in stock and have rotten vegetables thrown at you. Starting from the fact that he clearly didn't want Lando to finish P1 - don't come at me. He didn't - to this weird emotional warfare he was doing... Good grief, the stuff that came out of his mouth... I would have retired and went into hiding, this was so deeply embarrassing. People are right to drag him through the mud. I know people say he was threatening Lando on radio during the race or manipulating him and in a way, kind of, sort of, he was. But also Will is very bad with words and has this overtly dramatic style, especially when he has time to prepare the line, so to me it didn't sound all that gravely serious. But I take issue with something else, actually. Will telling Lando it really doesn't matter about Lando losing out on P1 is so revolting to me. Out of everyone, Will should know how much of a sore spot it was for Lando to have no race wins and to just let all of this happen is. Okay.

Natlane special: If you are not proud of your win, you don't deserve it. People keep commenting that Oscar was calm about this victory and like... I say this with all sympathy in my heart, but why wouldn't he be subdued? However you want to look at it, his first win was given to him by his teammate on team orders and I don't think it matters whether he thought he deserved or not. And boy, you're gonna carry that weight a long time...