P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Red Bull boss Laurent Mekies has acknowledged that McLaren’s “clever” split strategy at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix caught the Milton Keynes squad off-guard.
Laurent Mekies admitted that Red Bull was caught off guard by McLaren’s decision to split the tyre strategy between Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
With Max Verstappen starting on pole, McLaren started Norris on mediums and Piastri on hards, throwing a curveball that disrupted Red Bull’s plans.
Piastri’s move on Norris early in the race prevented Verstappen from executing his strategy to gain advantage over Norris in the title race.
Despite Red Bull’s efforts, McLaren’s tactics and flexibility ultimately worked in their favor, with Norris claiming his maiden championship.
Mekies praised McLaren’s strategic move as “quite clever,” acknowledging that it caught Red Bull off guard and forced them to adapt during the race.
The unexpected tyre strategy by McLaren gave them the upper hand and made Red Bull vulnerable to different scenarios, leading to a challenging battle for the win.
