How did McLaren dominate the Singapore GP?

McLaren's overwhelming performance at the Singapore Grand Prix has left the Formula 1 paddock in awe, showcasing the team's prowess on high-downforce circuits.

In a season marked by intense competition at the front of the grid, McLaren's dominant display in Singapore stood out as a remarkable anomaly.

The stark contrast between their nail-biting victory in Baku and their commanding performance at Marina Bay raises intriguing questions about the nature of their recent success.

Lando Norris's Stellar Performance

Lando Norris exemplified McLaren's superiority throughout the Singapore weekend.

His qualifying pace was unmatched, and he maintained a comfortable lead from the race start.

As the event progressed, Norris's pace became even more impressive, prompting Red Bull's Christian Horner to remark that the McLaren driver was "taking the p**s" as he pulled nearly 25 seconds clear of Max Verstappen before the pit stops.

The downforce factor

McLaren's team principal, Andrea Stella, attributes their Singapore success to the MCL38's exceptional performance at high downforce levels.

"I think if I look at previous races, at this high level of downforce, we seem to be very competitive,"

Stella explained. He further emphasized that their dominance was more related to the downforce configuration than any recent car developments.

A pattern emerges

Examining McLaren's season reveals a clear trend: their car excels when maximum downforce is required and drag is less critical.

Stella highlighted previous strong performances at Hungary and Zandvoort as evidence of this pattern.

"I think at the moment, it's more than the car in this configuration, I think it has the better aerodynamic efficiency across the grid,"

he stated.

Contrasting low-drag scenarios

While McLaren shines in high-downforce settings, the team acknowledges that their advantage narrows in low-drag configurations. Stella noted,

"At low drag, I think the efficiency of Ferrari and Red Bull is much more comparable to our car."

This insight explains the team's varying performance across different circuit types throughout the season.

The Experience Factor

Beyond pure car performance, McLaren's recent success streak has brought another advantage: experience at the front of the pack.

The team is becoming more adept at executing race strategies from a leading position. Stella acknowledged this growth, saying,

"Definitely the more you race at the front, the more you get familiar, not only with the situation, but even with the approach that the team should have."

Looking Ahead

As the Formula 1 season progresses, all eyes will be on McLaren at upcoming high-downforce circuits.

Their rivals will undoubtedly be working to close the gap, but for now, McLaren has established itself as the team to beat when maximum downforce is the order of the day.

The Singapore Grand Prix has not only highlighted McLaren's current strengths but also signaled a potential shift in the team's approach to race weekends.

With their growing comfort at the front of the grid, McLaren is poised to be a formidable force in the remaining races of the season.