Eddie Jordan tips one F1 team to spring ‘big surprise’ in F1 2024 : PlanetF1

Former F1 team owner Eddie Jordan believes McLaren, a team he has been critical of at times in the past, will prove to be an F1 2024 surprise package.

McLaren did not start out in a good place for F1 2023, the team openly admitting that they were behind target with their MCL60 challenger and would be relying on in-season developments to get them back on the right path.

And McLaren would deliver on that ambition, a string of upgrades beginning from the Austrian Grand Prix transforming the team into regular podium contenders.

Eddie Jordan tips McLaren to prove ‘big surprise’ in F1 2024

The final podium tally for McLaren was nine, seven of those scored by Lando Norris and two by their impressive rookie Oscar Piastri, who also claimed sprint victory in Qatar.

And during the Formula For Success podcast, featuring 13-time grand prix winner with McLaren David Coulthard and former Jordan Grand Prix boss Eddie Jordan, Coulthard described McLaren’s F1 2023 progress as a “breath of fresh air”.

“McLaren, what a great season,” said Coulthard. “It looked a bit shaky in Bahrain, but great comeback.

“Great to see Oscar show his potential against Lando.

“Lando continues to be a breath of fresh air, really owns his good performances in a modest way, and probably a bit hard on themselves when things aren’t going so well. But, great to see someone who’s so open and so honest.

“And McLaren have just, I think, been one of the breaths of fresh air this season.”

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Jordan fully agrees with Coulthard’s assessment, explaining that as a team which he has criticised at times, such as when they split with Honda after 2017, McLaren deserve praise for their F1 2023 performance as he tips them to pack a punch in F1 2024.

McLaren joined Mercedes and Ferrari in the chasing pack looking to reel in the dominant Red Bull team, as they set about creating a challenger capable of doing so in F1 2024.

“Beyond any doubt,” said Jordan in agreement with Coulthard. “And you know, again, there’s a team that I was tough against, some of the things that they did in the past I was critical about and I’ve made my opinion clear.

“Similarly, I will make my opinion clear about the season they’ve just had and that was exactly it, the breath of fresh air, exactly right.

“Oscar for me was sensational. For a rookie like that to come in and do what he did against somebody with the outstanding talent of Lando Norris, and we all know about how quick he is, the car has to be very nicely balanced.

“And they in my opinion, will be a big surprise next year to most people.”

McLaren has not tasted title success since 2008, when Lewis Hamilton claimed his first World Championship.

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