McLaren are on track, but are their drivers?

It seems that McLaren's leadership, their drivers, and their entire team in Woking (County of Surrey, southwest of London) are doing it again. The McLaren team created a car, the MCL39, that is widely considered to be the current benchmark for F1.  It has been praised for its high aerodynamic efficiency and balance. There are even whispers of "tricks", that's how dominant this car is.  But the McLaren's edge largely comes down to excellent downforce and a well-tuned set up.  Relative to the other teams, it appears their current car is particularly good in managing rear tire temperatures.  And the results on track this year speak for themselves.  After the British F1 GP this weekend, the McLaren drivers have won 9 of the 12 races so far this season.

McLaren's best team in a quarter century

Formula One officially began as a world championship competition less than 5 years after the end of World War 2, with the first race held in the United Kingdom, marking the start of the sport's official championship.  That first race took place at the Silverstone Circuit in the UK on May 13, 1950.

Silverstone is a former Royal Air Force (RAF) station, and it is not surprising that the racing started there.  Several prominent figures in Formula 1, including drivers, engineers and team owners, had prior experience in the RAF as e.g. pilots or aircraft engine mechanics.  This expertise was put to good use and no doubt contributed to the sport's early engineering and organizational success.  

F1 heats up as Verstappen joins the immortals

Max Verstappen secured his fourth consecutive Formula 1 World Championship title at the 2024 Las Vegas Grand Prix this Saturday night. The 27-year-old Dutchman finished fifth in the race, which was won by George Russell of Mercedes. This historic achievement places Verstappen alongside the immortals, legendary drivers like Michael Schumacher, Lewis Hamilton, Juan Manuel Fangio, Sebastian Vettel, and Alain Prost who have all won at least four world championship titles.

Here are the main take aways from the race in Vegas: