How 2024 missteps will be the making of McLaren

OPINION: McLaren’s rise to fighting regularly for wins in 2024 has impressed many within Formula 1. But its mounting mistakes were a hot topic ahead of the summer break given the points gaps it still faces to Red Bull and Max Verstappen. Yet, looking back at F1’s history not only shows this is a familiar tale, but one from which McLaren can learn

There were hands on heads all around. Cheeks blown out and red. The crushing realisation of a dream denied at the last gasp by the era's dominant power. All because their concentration had collapsed at a late moment. Little did they know what a run of success was to follow.

The Saracens English rugby side came with four minutes of winning a first Premiership title at Twickenham in 2010. It was to be denied by Leicester that day – the Tigers team clinching its seventh title because it just didn’t know when it was beaten.

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Author Alex Kalinauckas

Alex Kalinauckas is Autosport's Grand Prix Editor, covering every Formula 1 race since the start of 2020. After completing a master's degree in journalism at Goldsmiths College University of London in 2014, he worked for a range of motorsport and technology publications while covering national racing as an Autosport freelancer.

A lifelong motorsport fan - no one in his family can explain quite how or why such a development first occurred - Alex joined the Autosport staff in April 2017 as the magazine’s Assistant Editor covering Formula 2 and GP3, before being made Formula E correspondent and Autosport.com’s Plus Editor in March 2018. He lives in north-east London and is constantly frustrated by the Central Line.