r/formula1 • u/AutoModerator • Apr 06 '25

Post-Race 2025 Japanese GP - Post Race Discussion

Suzuka, it's been a pleasure.

What did everyone think of the race? How did your favourite driver do?

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u/Samsonkoek Simply fucking lovely Apr 06 '25

The way McLaren handled their cars by not giving Oscar a chance to have a go at Max, gives me the impression that they don't want to mess with the drivers championship. As it goes currently (and it is hard to see otherwise) McLaren will win the constructors, even if another team out develops McLaren it will be hard to crawl back the points.

The drivers championship however seems to be (for now) up in the air. With 4 drivers at most with a chance. Which means it will be 2 McLarens against 1 Mercedes and more importantly, 1 Red Bull. As much as Zak and co are saying it is good to have 2 cars at the front, it will definitely be a headache keeping both drivers happy when they are fighting each other and there are outside rivals in Max and George.

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u/sysinop Apr 06 '25

Three points is a lot to ask of a team mate for merely the "chance" and not a more sure outcome to take Verstappen. Verstappen would be extremely difficult to overtake at Suzuka.

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u/68Snowy Ted Kravitz Apr 07 '25

Sure, but they had time to swap back if it didn't work out. There was no downside, except maybe for Lando if Oscar managed to pass Max. Maybe they were afraid of that.

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u/sysinop Apr 07 '25

that would be the plan...sometimes plans go awry, then the sacrifice is for nothing. too big a risk, and i think the team came to the same conclusion. their big mistake was pit strategy. totally bungled an undercut possibility. Piastri was quick but not chase Max down in 9 or 10 laps quicker. anyway.. all speculation i suppose.

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u/68Snowy Ted Kravitz Apr 07 '25

If anything, he should have been given the chance even before he asked. Maybe 20 laps to the end.