Were McLaren caught out by the speed of their ascendancy to the top of the pecking order in F1 2024? David Coulthard believes that’s the case.

McLaren finished fourth in the F1 2023 championship, with no victories, but showed up for 2024 with the grid’s most versatile and, usually, quickest car.

David Coulthard: ‘Psychologically, it makes a difference’

Given that the rules remained stable between the two seasons, with this year’s championship kicking off in a very similar fashion to the entirety of F1 2023 as Red Bull’s dominance continued, the suddenness of the ensuing dynamic change came as a surprise for the fans and the media as well as the teams.

In Miami, Max Verstappen fell behind Lando Norris as a result of an unfortunately timed Safety Car intervention but, unlike in the previous 18 months or so, was unable to make any impression on the McLaren driver – a warning shot of what was to unfold in the coming weeks.

Through the middle part of the season, it became apparent that Red Bull’s development path with the RB20 hadn’t worked out, with balance and handling issues creeping in. All the while, McLaren’s MCL38 development was the opposite – almost overnight, Norris and teammate Oscar Piastri were usually at or near the head of the field.

But there were still some signs of operational and strategic weaknesses compared to Red Bull,

It’s led to a fascinating title fight, with Verstappen attempting to hold off Norris’ charge with an off-the-boil Red Bull, with the Dutch driver’s emphatic win in Brazil all but putting an end to the Drivers’ Championship battle.

McLaren still leads the Constructors’ Championship fight with three races to go, a battle which is set up more favourably for the Woking-based squad, with Ferrari the interloper between McLaren and Red Bull.

With Norris’ charge all but over, the British driver showed some signs of weakness during what has been his first title charge – perhaps unsurprisingly, given it’s only a few short months since his first Grand Prix victory. Norris has been pitted against one of F1’s most formidable and well-rounded drivers, with Verstappen battle-seasoned in what is his likely his fourth consecutive title year.

Was it too much too soon to expect Norris to be able to take the fight to Verstappen in a more comprehensive fashion at the first time of asking? That’s a topic former McLaren and Red Bull star David Coulthard pondered when asked by PlanetF1.com at the Red Bull Showrun in Galway, Ireland, last weekend.

“I don’t think McLaren entered the year thinking ‘This is a world championship year’. Psychologically, it’s just a little difference,” the Scot said.

“I think they went in going, ‘We’re on the right track, we’re rebuilding’ and then, suddenly, when they found form, they almost didn’t know how to own it.”

Coulthard pointed out that, while Verstappen is well used to “getting his elbows out” to achieve his goals, this year is the first time Norris has been faced with a scenario that has forced him to race with a different mentality to how he’s raced in F1 since entering the sport in 2019.

“It’s been quite a comfortable ride for Lando – he’s had a good background and good support from Zak [Brown, McLaren CEO] before he was in Formula 1,” Coulthard said.

“I’ve done track events with him when he was still in the lower formulas, I’m not going to say it’s been easy because I’ve not walked in his shoes, but it’s kind of taken the trajectory that Zak saw his potential and brought him up into Formula 1.

“It would appear that Max had quite a feisty coming through karting and what have you, so I guess we all get ready for the battle at different points.

“Lando is brilliantly fast, that’s his superpower. The rest – the getting the elbows out, your Sennas, your Schumachers – they redefined what was acceptable. Max is doing the same.

“Lando has got to… there’s no point going in the boxing ring and then complaining the guy punched you in the ear. ‘My ear is ringing!’… you’ve got to just get in and own it.”

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Without particularly unusual circumstances occurring in the final three races, Norris’ title chances this year are over – but Coulthard believes the British driver will go away, lick his wounds, and learn a considerable amount about what’s needed to sustain a title fight for next season.

“I believe in McLaren’s quality, and their strength and depth, and I believe that Lando will be a world champion in Formula 1,” he said.

“But I feel that Max still has the upper hand in terms of overall guts, determination, and feistiness. That’s my opinion.

“It just feels that, if they were both your driver, and you’re sending them out to go wheel-to-wheel, you would just imagine in a best of three, it would probably come out 2-1 to Max at the moment.

“In the future, that may be different. Lando has got the speed but Max has the correct mentality for winning championships.

“He’s done it, so he knows what it takes. The first time I was lucky enough to win a Grand Prix, it was like ‘Ah, that’s what it feels like’.

“It wasn’t actually as difficult as it had been to try and get there. Of course, it’s difficult to get the next one but, whenever things are working well and your mind is in the right place, suddenly it just becomes easier.

“It’s just that last little bit, isn’t it, that Lando is putting in place. It’s been a great season to watch, and I’d love it to go down to the last round in Abu Dhabi, personally, it would be good for television, and good for entertainment.

“If it’s over early, it always takes the edge off a wee bit, doesn’t it?”

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