Seventh and eighth gear on the Zandvoort banking: transmission ratios compared

Analysis of 74 flying laps in Zandvoort Sprint Qualifying reveals transmission gearing above 280 km/h: McLaren favours short ratios for exit torque, Audi and Mercedes target top-end momentum on the banking.

Muretto Box Virtuale21 August 2026·Zandvoort · SQ

Gearing choices Gearbox management through the Turn 14 banking

Across 74 flying laps recorded in Zandvoort Sprint Qualifying, telemetry shows how teams manage the 280 km/h speed threshold in the 285 to 295 km/h speed band.

Lando Norris's McLaren uses the shortest gear ratios on the grid to maximise drive out of slow turns, while Gabriel Bortoleto's Audi and Andrea Kimi Antonelli's Mercedes hold taller ratios to carry momentum down the final banking.

Hybrid deployment Synchronising engine rpm with electrical power delivery

Shift traces illustrate how seventh-to-eighth gear transitions keep the power unit in peak torque band, blending 350 kW electrical output with active wing aerodynamic shedding.

Lap time effect Shorter gearing rewards middle sector traction

McLaren's shorter gearing delivers decisive gains through the twisty middle sector, providing explosive acceleration out of slow corners to offset straightline top speed deficits.