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McLaren looked closer than ever to Red Bull in Brazil – but what does the team still need to do to close the final part of the gap? Ben Anderson investigates
McLaren’s recent performance in the 2023 Brazilian Grand Prix and its sprint race precursor have shown that they are a strong contender to Red Bull. This is a rarity in a season dominated by Max Verstappen. McLaren’s mid-season upgrade has transformed them into a team that can potentially challenge Aston Martin, Ferrari, and even Mercedes. Christian Horner, Red Bull’s team principal, believes McLaren is now their closest competitor, and the statistics back this up. McLaren has scored 25 points more than Ferrari, 50 points more than Mercedes, and a staggering 158 points more than Aston Martin in the past 11 races. McLaren’s pace in qualifying also indicates their potential to beat Red Bull, with both Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris securing sprint race pole positions this season. However, the true test of McLaren’s progress is their ability to challenge Red Bull in races, and the Brazilian Grand Prix showed that McLaren gave away just over a tenth per lap to the Red Bull driver. McLaren’s consistent upgrades and their improved understanding of their strengths and weaknesses make them a formidable competitor. Norris was able to threaten Verstappen, forcing him to strategically manage his tires and power unit, but ultimately, Verstappen had enough to fend off the McLaren.
Forrás: The Race
