Formula 1 resumed in Shanghai just where it stopped in Melbourne – McLaren has left their competitors questioning exactly how much ground they have lost in the championship-leading vehicle.
The rainy race in Australia — despite being thrilling and exciting — genuinely made it more difficult to predict the outcomes.
Ferrari Never had the opportunity to demonstrate whether it could bounce back from its weak qualifying performance and while Max Verstappen When he hauled Red Bull close to victory, he required the race's second safety car to return to contention.
Certain paddock sources informed Pawonation.com Shanghai that McLaren's winning gap might have reached up to 30 seconds if the race in Melbourne had taken place under dry conditions.
If correct, this discrepancy would merely amplify the focus on the issue. Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri might vie for a two-horse championship.
Enter Mercedes driver George Russell Last weekend, he grabbed attention by stating that McLaren now holds "a significant edge" and could "halt further advancements and focus entirely on 2026."
On Thursday, amidst the clear skies and absent of smog in Shanghai, Russell reaffirmed his stance—despite Norris previously stating after the race in Melbourne beside the Mercedes driver that “this isn’t the right mindset” because “once you think everything is fine and dandy, that’s exactly when trouble finds you.”
Lando Norris from McLaren, George Russell with Mercedes
Photo credit: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images
I believe their car has the potential to win every race and should indeed triumph in all competitions, yet I doubt they will secure victory in each event this year," stated Russell regarding the MCL39 — a contrasting viewpoint from his earlier assertion about the RB19 being set to dominate the entire 2023 F1 season following the first round with Red Bull.
Let's see, I believe their lead over everyone this year is larger than what Red Bull has ever achieved before.
However, when Max was behind the wheel of that car [in 2023], he consistently performed well lap after lap. He made every single attempt in Q3 or during the entire qualification session; it wasn’t uncertain at all. Therefore, let’s hope we can take advantage as we did over the weekend—because that race should have resulted in a 1-2 finish for them.
Considering that both Norris and Piastri went off track in Melbourne—and they each struggled during their initial attempts in Q3 the previous day—the underlying message could be interpreted as Russell implying that the McLaren drivers tend to make more errors than Verstappen when leading the race from the front. Keep in mind that Piastri failed to return to the podium after spinning following Norris into the gravel trap at turn 12 in Melbourne when the rain resumed last Sunday.
However, according to insiders at Mercedes, Russell is not using this as a psychological warfare strategy aimed at disrupting Norris and Piastri.
Another more dramatic speculation circulating among Formula 1 teams suggests that Russell and Norris may have experienced a rift. However, during an exclusive interview with McLaren's Norris, when asked about his teammate's remarks, Norris responded amiably, indicating that everything was fine between them.
Instead, Norris appeared astonished upon hearing Russell’s last statement, yet he didn’t react with any hostility.
Lando Norris, McLaren
Photo credit: Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Images
I'm not sure — George has been quite vocal recently," Norris stated. "They seem to believe the season is finished even before it begins. Last week, I mentioned that this mindset might be inappropriate. Honestly, it just appears somewhat strange.
It would be better for them to concentrate more as a cohesive unit instead of engaging in so much discussion.
But it doesn’t alter the situation. Sure, thanks – I appreciate the compliment. We’re performing exceptionally well. In fact, we’re outdoing them.
We take pride in that achievement, yet we remain committed to working harder since, indeed, both Ferrari and Red Bull are outperforming us.
They can say whatever they like. I feel content when George voices these opinions because it suggests that they might be somewhat concerned.
Mercedes' stance is that Russell is merely acknowledging the new reality—that, for 2025 at least, F1 might have substituted one leading car package with a different one.
However, what sets McLaren apart from Red Bull is what George Russell hinted at during their time in Melbourne.
With the introduction of the 2026 rule changes approaching, should the orange team's competitors lose ground rapidly in the championship rankings, the orange team might redirect their developmental efforts toward complying with the new regulations and allocate only essential resources to enhancing their 2025 models.
Lando Norris from McLaren, Oscar Piastri also with McLaren
Image Credit: Simon Galloway / Motorsport Images
This would significantly bolster McLaren's position.
On the other hand, there is very limited information to support what McLaren’s competitors dread, as it has only been one race so far.
However, the fact that Verstappen—who typically excels under such conditions—lagged behind by almost 20 seconds within only 17 laps in Melbourne has drawn significant notice. This equates to losing approximately 0.84 seconds per lap during the latter part of his initial stint using intermediate tires.
Now, McLaren enters China brimming with even greater confidence after their performance here in 2024, despite having what Norris described as "not a very good car."
The Shanghai circuit features significantly longer turns compared to Melbourne, and with dry conditions expected, it will put greater strain on the cars' aerodynamic setups—similar to what the teams experience at Formula 1’s testing ground in Catalunya.
The layout of Shanghai has undergone revisions for 2025 in an effort to remove the bumps that necessitated significant setup adjustments for the teams during the previous year.
In spite of all the projections and distractions, F1 ought to have a clear understanding of McLaren’s true capabilities once they finish their race and return home on Sunday.
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