ROUND 21: Brazil 🇧🇷
FORMULA 1 ROLEX GRANDE PRÊMIO DE SÃO PAULO 2023
Circuit stats
- First Grand Prix: 1973
- Number of laps: 71
- Circuit Length: 4.309 km
- Race Distance: 305.879 km
- Lap record: 1:10.540 Valtteri Bottas (2021)
- 2022 winner: George Russel
Track Map
I hope you’re right, but I suspect Max had more to spare today, just managing tires from the very beginning, speeding up a bit when he realized Lando got close to overtaking.
How often have we seen Max yield a potential fastest lap when he has the car/tires for it? I’d like to think Lando taking the fastest lap was a sign they had more left in the tires, admittedly with more management, than the lead Red Bull.
Max even mentioned in the post race interview that it was really the middle stint that gave him the gap. After that the pace was similar, so I think if McLaren can get their high fuel running deg under control they’ll be competitive.
I think Lando taking the fastest lap was just McLaren acknowledging they can’t keep up with the RB and focusing on getting as many points as possible. I doubt they’re even close to competing with RB as I doubt Max was driving at 100%. Max was putting in the minimal effort necessary to win. When it came close to Lando overtaking Max he just pushed the car and created a more than a second cap in less than a lap and quickly pushed it outside the 2 second split. There’s so much more Max could push out of the RB, he simply doesn’t because he doesn’t need to.
I would love someone giving Max competition but I doubt anyone will for the rest of the season. Maybe next year.