McLaren have made changes within their strategy team after they came under fire during the F1 2024 season.
If there was one area the Constructors’ champions were worthy of criticism, it was their strategy decisions with racing director Randeep Singh’s team making a number of errors throughout the campaign and the Woking side have now made changes ahead of the 2025 season.
McLaren promote long-time servant in strategy shake-up
Oli Cartlidge has been promoted to the role of lead race strategist and strategy operations having previously overseen Lando Norris’ races during the weekend.
He said: “I’m very happy to share that I’m starting a new position as lead, race strategist and strategy operations at McLaren Racing!
“Building on the foundations on what we’ve laid over the last few years and off the back of a phenomenal 2024, I’m excited to drive forward the level of what we can achieve as part of this awesome team. LFG! (let’s f**king go)”
Cartlidge joined McLaren in August 2017 as a graduate engineer before moving into the race strategy team two years later.
Initially focused on the whole team, he was assigned to Norris for the 2023 season before becoming a senior specialist last year.
Now in his new role he will be “leading operational Strategy decision making for the race team, as well as leading execution for Oscar Piastri during race weekend sessions.
“In addition to this strategy-focussed role, a focus on continuous operational development and young talent recruitment remains a key part of the role.”
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Strategy was a thorn in side of McLaren with the team making mistakes at Silverstone, Monza, Hungary and Sao Paulo. After the race in Brazil, former Renault driver Jolyon Palmer described it as another opportunity blown.
“When you think back to pit calls in mixed conditions at Silverstone and also Montreal, Max [Verstappen] and the Red Bull team have a great track record of executing the right strategy and avoiding so many potential banana skins, where pitting on the exact lap can win or lose you the race,” he said.
“McLaren and Norris conversely blew yet another opportunity by not being as forward-thinking as those around them.”
There has been absolutely no suggestion that Singh’s job is under threat but there is no doubt that strategy improvement is needed in 2025 if the team hopes to retain their crown.
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