Current McLaren

Arguably one of the big teams in Formula One but lately they don't seem to be able to get the basics right.
Some of their strategy and decisions in the last few years has left more than a few observers scratching their heads.

Just a few for starters:

• Leaving Kimi out on a badly flat-spotted tyre, resulting in it exploding on the last lap.
• Leaving Hamilton out on tyres so badly worn they were down to the canvas; Bridgestone themselves demanded that McLaren bring him in and McLaren refused, keeping him out for a few more laps. That decision arguably cost Hamilton the first rookie WDC and is one which will haunt him and McLaren for the rest of their days.
• Not sending Button and Hamilton out to get banker laps in during Q1.
• Sending Hamilton out on used tyres in Q3, with rain forecast, meaning it would be impossible to set a fast lap time on his second attempt on new tyres.

Their major updates seem to send them further down the grid, instead of challenging for pole positions and wins. As the season progresses they tend to get worse before getting better, by which time it is generally too late.

It's often said of them "write them off at your peril", but is this necessarily true?

The last time they won the WCC was in 1998 and their last WDC was 2008, before that 1999.
Their days of regularly winning championships seem to be well and truly behind them.

It's all well and good coming up with reasons why they haven't won championships.
The fact remains though, they have won just one WDC in the last 12 years.

So where to now for McLaren?

(I wrote this in rather a hurry so I will flesh it out when I have more time.)

 

[KekeTheKing]

Please spare us today Ray.

McLaren were going to Spa with 2 straight wins in succession

Before a month off. I can assure you that the mandated "break" did not shut down Newey's brain. Red Bull brought a better package to Spa. Their rear wing worked brilliantly. The Bulls were pulling 313 km/h on the Kemmel straight without DRS, up to 317 km/h into the final chicane. The Maccas were topping out at 304 km/h without DRS.

had weather that advantaged them

Not in the race.

the RB7s were in tyre trouble

And got bailed out by the SC. It was basically a free stop. And the hype surrounding their safety concerns is quite overblown. You seriously think Pirelli would have let cars take to the track on rubber that might only last "half a lap" as you have so often quoted.

 

[Cookinflatsix]

I have to say that I cannot see why Whitmarsh was almost in tears at Button coming 3rd when a 1/2 finish was tamely surrendered by the whole team.

Its as though his only aim is to have people think that he didn't make a mistake bringing Jenson to McLaren

The McLaren ambition and efficiency seems to be replaced with a certain laissez-faire attitude, no need to strive for results, no accountability

 

[RayInTorontoCanada]

Please spare us today Ray.

The Bulls were pulling 313 km/h on the Kemmel straight without DRS, up to 317 km/h into the final chicane. The Maccas were topping out at 304 km/h without DRS.

You seriously think Pirelli would have let cars take to the track on rubber that might only last "half a lap" as you have so often quoted.

It isn't my quote, Keke. It was an RBR quote attributed to Pirelli. When RBR asked Pirelli for a guarantee they (RBR) said Pirelli couldn't guarantee and said "Half a lap to 5 laps". You saw when Webber came in (Lap 3) and Vettel (Lap 5).

The weather - cooler temperatures - DID advantage McLaren in relation to Ferrari in the race. Hot temperatures would have hurt McLaren at the margin and hurt Ferrari less on the Mediums. Ferrari have said this.

A hot race would have yielded better than 4th and 8th...according to them.

Spare you?

Perhaps McLaren ought to have had less of a downforce spec on their cars.

Do you agree with me that McLaren - as a team - have made it much easier for Vettel this year...Yes or No?

Have McLaren and their drivers optimised their chances in 2011...yes or no?

 

[KekeTheKing]

Yeah, spare me the same old nonsense. (Nice edit there chief! )

I think Ferrari would have fared quite well without the SC and a puncture. Cooler temps don't tell the whole story.

You constantly overstate the missed opportunities McLaren have had. They've obviously made mistakes, but they've only been on par with RBR in a handful of races, despite your best efforts to tell people otherwise.

How many poles have they had this year? Oh, that's right.......

 

[RayInTorontoCanada]

(Nice edit there chief! )

...they've only been on par with RBR in a handful of races, despite your best efforts to tell people otherwise.

How many poles have they had this year? Oh, that's right.......

You already know they don't give out WDC points for Poles...and you already know that RBR were running engine maps specifically for qually upto Valencia...which they were not running in the races. Since Valencia, it's much closer and Vettel's popped in some times that have prevented Hamilton from getting them.

Regadless, McLaren themselves said they had the fastest "race car" in Spain-Monaco-Canada...and you already know that their race car was fastest/co-fastest in China...and in Germany and Hungary and in Belgium.

That's more than a mere few races.

The FIA played against them at Silverstone where Ferrari won...but then the FIA did a u turn.

I know you love Lewis and McLaren and, as a result, you're not being completely objective.

 

[KekeTheKing]

Objectivity, or a lack-there-of, has nothing to do with it.

McLaren wasn't fastest in China. Teams were still learning the Pirelli's and McLaren actually stole a march on Red Bull there. Great drive by Lewis that featured a better strategy.

Hamilton might have been faster than an ailing Vettel in Spain. Unfortunately they had a gear ratio that wouldn't allow for a high enough top speed into the only overtaking spot on the circuit.

Any definitive statements on Monaco are purely conjecture.

They rolled the dice in Canada and it worked out. Thanks in large part to Seb's final lap mistake.

In Germany we saw what happens if McLaren can put a car on pole. They of course weren't on pole, but became the de facto pole sitter when Webber was slow away. Pretty nice to be out front at the start.

I think you'll find the conditions played a large part in everyone's Hungary pace. Not to mention the best driver in said conditions, Button.

And I guess I missed the PR release saying they were officially faster in Belgium.

Look, I know you love to wind people up and take threads off the rails, but I just can't let you get away with statements that are clearly erroneous.

 

[Sarinaide]

I think I did mention that if you take the best of Mclaren and the best of Ferrari, it will stuggle to beat the RB7 and all its inherent KERS problems. Both Ferrari and McLaren are running revisions to 2010 spec cars, and both had rather shoddy pre-season testings.

 

[KekeTheKing]

rather shoddy pre-season testing

If you had told me before Bahrain (then Melbourne) that McLaren was going to win 4 of 12 races to start the year I would have been ecstatic with that. It looked like they had produced an upper-midfield car at that point.

 

[ExtremeNinja]

If you had told me before Bahrain (then Melbourne) that McLaren was going to win 4 of 12 races to start the year I would have been ecstatic with that. It looked like they had produced an upper-midfield car at that point.

I would have told you that. I told everyone else that. They all thought I was mad.

 

[Sarinaide]

Like Ferrari, McLaren have got caught with their pants down and a bull between the legs.

I know how bad pre-season was for the McLaren team, but from a Ferrari perspective, they took the 2010 car, threw on the KERS and DRS, new sponsors and called it a winner. Then Aus rolled along and the ugly truth was revealed.

The old guard have much to think about before 2012

 

[ExtremeNinja]

Like Ferrari, McLaren have got caught with their pants down and a bull between the legs.

I know how bad pre-season was for the McLaren team, but from a Ferrari perspective, they took the 2010 car, threw on the KERS and DRS, new sponsors and called it a winner. Then Aus rolled along and the ugly truth was revealed.

The old guard have much to think about before 2012

Red Bull did pretty much the same thing.

 

[Il_leone]

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New Santander ad

 

[racecub]

I have to say that I cannot see why Whitmarsh was almost in tears at Button coming 3rd when a 1/2 finish was tamely surrendered by the whole team.

Its as though his only aim is to have people think that he didn't make a mistake bringing Jenson to McLaren

Im glad you've mentioned this about Whitmarsh and Button because i was beginning to think it must be just my imagination.Ive felt for some time he seems to fawn on Button, quick, with the excuses when he's done badly, over the moon when he does well.I prefer Lewis so maybe Im not looking objectively. Whitmarsh sems a nice chap and the drivers are treated equally, but........there's a but. Why is he so defensive and protective about Button? I think its becoming quite obvious. Is this just me?

 

[Slyboogy]

Maybe he was happy since his qualifying was messes up by a huge error and drove a great recovery race, mclaren where on for certain podium but that didn't look certain at all when Hamilton retired.

 

[Cookinflatsix]

Why is he so defensive and protective about Button? I think its becoming quite obvious. Is this just me?

A clue might be found last season where he (Whitmarsh) told the BBc that he had arranged to kiss Jenson 'not just on the cheeks but in between' if Jenson had won a race in which he had failed to reach Q3

Jenson didn't win and was spared a seriously unmanly expression of delight from his team boss

That was about the time that Jenson split from his model girlfriend Jessica and publicly declared that he would spend more time at Mclaren headquarters between races

 

[Galahad]

Whitmarsh has made quite a lot of excuses for Hamilton too, as I recall. In stewards' rooms and elsewhere.

Maybe it's because Jenson doesn't go popping into Christian Horner's or Stefano Domenicali's office when he has a poor weekend? Commitment/support, whatever you want to call it, it's a two-way street.

 

[Cookinflatsix]

Maybe it's because Jenson doesn't go popping into Christian Horner's or Stefano Domenicali's office when he has a poor weekend?

He must have loved Jenson driving into the Red Bull pit

 

[racecub]

Whitmarsh has made quite a lot of excuses for Hamilton too, as I recall. In stewards' rooms and elsewhere.

Maybe it's because Jenson doesn't go popping into Christian Horner's or Stefano Domenicali's office when he has a poor weekend? Commitment/support, whatever you want to call it, it's a two-way street.

It is indeed a two way street, but Jensons' done his 'popping' during his racing career. Jenson, in the twilight of his career must be delighted with a Mclaren contract, but earlier in his career he has played teams off one against the other, Williams and BAR. Tried to get out of his contract. Signed for Williams then drove for Honda. Not much loyalty there.

 

[Slyboogy]

Why has this become a Button and Whitmarsh bashing thread?

 

[KekeTheKing]

It's pretty clear to me why Whitmarsh always seems utterly euphoric when Button produces a result.

Usually there is some major drama involved in Jenson's best drives, so if Marty is not relieved/enthusiastic/ebullient all at the same time for his driver then, I'm not sure he would ever be.