The McLaren is faster than the Red Bull

[RayInTorontoCanada]

Seems to me that McLaren with its 'suite' (a Whitmarsh term ) of umpteen upgrades since just after their miserable (for them) Turkish GP has leap-frogged RBR and the proof of the pudding will be in the eating at this weekend's Canadian Grand Prix. It's not just a comparison between Vettel and Hamilton, it's Vettel/Webber V Hamilton/Button. Unless, of course, you feel that Hamilton and Button are, on average, faster or 'better' than Vettel and Webber. If you do, then you probably feel McLaren MP4-26s are not faster than RBR RB7s at the moment and it's actually down to the drivers. I don't share the opinion and actually feel Vettel is more of a complete package than Button and, possibly, even Hamilton (though not by much).

In addition, McLaren's KERS Hybrid is more effective than the one developed by Red Bull who are a chassis specialist, not a KERS specialist. Is there even a debate on this? So, netting out percieved driver quality differences, McLaren-Mercedes MP4-26s - avec KERS Hybrid - are now faster and I expect a 1-2 from them in Canada.

 

[Andrea_Moda_Rules]

Paddy Lowe even agrees that the McLaren has been faster in race trim in the last two races -

http://sport.uk.msn.com/f1/news/articles.aspx?cp-documentid=158160079

Isn't part of Mr Lowes salary paid for him to do the PR work and make Mclaren seen in the best of lights, everyone's a PR man in F1 nowadays.

I think perhaps a little much has been made of the differnce between quali and race pace for RedBull, I sense there is perhaps a little race mangement over the RBRs pace, weather out of caution or neccessity. but then every argument made seems to have holes in. It doesn't explain why Webber hasn't got the best out of the car if Vettel is 'taking it easy' in the races. but yet the only time Vettel hasn't come up smelling of roses was when he got his stratergy wrong. Monaco is perhaps the only place where he looked particularly vunerable, again due to stratergy. Other wise no matter what Mclaren or anybodt else for that matter has brought to table Vettel's car always seems just....just to have enough available to get the victory. Perhaps its redbull playing the long game.

All that said i am loving the fact a fast car in quali does not automatically mean a fast car in race conditions, dispite all vettels victoires its refreshing to see him not alk away with the races, and its been while since that happened in Formula 1

 

[RickD]

Really, I thought he was walking away with the WDC.. Maybe thats just the way I see it this year though..

I still see it as a 2004 at the front with more overtakes mid-field. Its getting boring pretty quickly at the sharp end of the grid..

 

[KekeTheKing]

Whitmarsh/Dennis/Lowe (McLaren) have been pushing this theme for two years now. Even at the beginning of last year they would tell anybody and everybody who would listen that "our car has superior race pace". Nevermind the fact that it was a struggle to make it onto the 2nd row of the grid in qualifying.

Was Lewis faster than Seb in Spain? Yes. Was this down to the fundamental capabiltites of the car? No. The RBR was suffering a myriad of KERS-related issues, and Vettel was driving in a manner to keep Hamilton behind, not to go as fast as he possibly could.

Maybe the McLaren was fundamentally faster at Monaco, and Jenson showed that when the McLaren is out front, it's a formidable machine. But I want to see that scenario played out on a proper racing circuit.

One thing should be certain for this weekend though. If the McLaren is faster than the Red Bull, the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve will be the right track to prove that out.