Rob Marshall, the McLaren Guru, who enjoyed the beautiful in the Australian podium, lived 17 years in the shadow of Adrian Newy, since they practically arrived at the same time the energy team, between 2006 and 2007.
Right now, Newey must be seeing and analyzing from his office as Aston Martin each of the McLaren images, which is followed by the photographers of the competition with unusual avidity and by the FIA, trying to discover if there is any trick like the one that Marshall himself used in the suspension of the Renault in 2006, and the mobile masses, summarized in the expression Mass Damper.
Newey has had many nearby collaborators, but without a doubt Marshall is the one who is now fashionable. The man who bathed in Moet on the podium of Melbourne, officially arrived at McLaren in January 2024, after 17 years in Red Bull and having also been key in the Renault of Fernando Alonso in 2005 and 2006. The transformation of Zak Brown cars began from the GP of Great Britain of 2023. Until then they did not happen to be some more of the pile.
Turning point
Marshall left Red Bull in May 2023, but theoretically he could not work in his new job until January 2024. However and even if it is only a coincidence, the McLaren’s leap forward occurred from the GP of Great Britain of 2023 in the month of July, with the second place of Lando and the Piastri room. There they added almost more points than they had done in the season. Lando added 12 points in the first 8 races, 12 in the ninth and 18 in the tenth. Piastri on the other hand in the first 9 races carried 5 points and added 12 in the tenth and from there the two young pilots began to be common from the points and podiums.
The hatching arrived in 2024 winning the title of builders and giving that of pilots for not having believed that with Norris they could plant battle to Max Verstappen and its unbeatable Red Bull of the beginning of the season.
Norris when he was closer to Max was after the first race of 2024, which was 18 points, then despite having the best car from Miami, he could never approach the Dutchman.
Rob Marshall, Verstappen, Norris and Russell, at Melbourne.rv Racing Press
The key to that progression has been Rob Marshall, which has become McLaren’s Newey. What does this mean?, Which can also be won without Adrian Newey and without Max Verstappen at the wheel. Norris has learned the lesson as we saw in Australia, however in China it seemed to doubt a little, at least in the qualification of the Sprint. In the short races, Verstappen also forged part of its title last year.
Stella is not going to shake her pulse
McLaren and Norris this year have it clearer than ever. His year is 2025 and that is focused on that. They do not forget 2026, but their priority is this season while the others look, like Aston Martin, for example, at 2026. Papaya will not lose a minute in the car next year until they have the two titles of the 25 and that is the slogan. They come from having the best car for many months and continue with the accelerator thoroughly. Andrea Stella, who last year lost the title of pilots for not having made some decisions, this year she will not shake her pulse to give team orders, which have already begun to appear in the first race. The Italian is a man who gives himself thoroughly in everything he does, either at work or in tennis, his favorite sport and knows that he is facing his great opportunity. It is not enough to be second in anything, a spirit that shares with Fernando Alonso, who took him to McLaren from Ferrari.