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.)

 

[Il_leone]

FB

Ron's ego then is causing a real problem because Ross Brawn managed to turn Honda around and surely Jenson Button could tell him first hand what went wrong with Honda in the 2000's to ensure it won't happen again

The results speaks for itself what Ross Brawn has achieved

 

[FB]

I don't disagree, but Ron has an ego bigger than that and just won't believe he can't turn the team around. I think the main problem at McLaren is they don't have the genius of a John Barnard, Gordon Murray or Adrian Newey to fall back on. The bloke they poached from Red Bull appears to have just copied what Newey was doing which doesn't bode well for how he will develop the car going forward.

 

[Il_leone]

the design team appears just too complex and I agree that Mclaren do not have a technical genius (a visionary) and everything is too much process driven increasing unnecessary bureaucracy

 

[rufus_mcdufus]

It's pretty embarrassing that Seb still managed to finish ahead of the 2 McLarens at Spa, on 3 tyres.

 

[The Artist.....]

“Of all the circuits on the current Formula 1 calendar, to this one is our car indubitably least suited.

“That being the case, it would be disingenuous indeed if we were to move to look askance at our finishing positions here today.

“Granted, to finish 13th and 14th on a circuit that has hosted 14 McLaren grand prix wins is unpropitious in the extreme, but splenetic we are not. Moreover, working shoulder to shoulder with Honda, we’ll work as assiduously as is humanly possible in an effort to make the progress necessary to toil our way back to the front.”

(From In quotes - Sunday in Belgium )

Eric Boullier appears amazingly loquacious here.... It almost sounds like Ron-speak to me. Either that, or he gave a quote in French, and it was put through an auto-translate!

 

[teabagyokel]

The Artist..... - I have to say I would be impressed with any non-native English speaker, or indeed translation software, to come up with 'splenetic'.

It was Ron.

 

[The Artist.....]

teabagyokel That just highlights that Boullier is merely a mouthpiece for Ron, and seems to be being set up as the fall guy for the McLaren failure this season.

I would be impressed for any native English speaker to come up with the words "Splenetic, unpropitious, and askance"

 

[RasputinLives]

Like Martin Whitmarsh!

 

[rufus_mcdufus]

Reminds me of this:

Blackadder: Oh, well, in that case, sir, I hope you will not object if I also offer the Doctor my most enthusiastic contrafribularities.
Dr. Samuel Johnson: What?
Blackadder: "Contrafribularites", sir? It is a common word down our way.
Dr. Samuel Johnson: Damn!
[writes in the book]
Blackadder: Oh, I'm sorry, sir. I'm anispeptic, frasmotic, even compunctuous to have caused you such pericombobulation.

 

[Titch]

Whilst we all berate Ron Dennis, and I'm as guilty as anyone, what does Eric Boullier add to the team ? Has he ever been involved with a team that is doing really well?
In fact I'll ask a leading question what does he do?

 

[teabagyokel]

The efficaciousness of McLaren's Gallic supremo was demonstrated cogently by the feats of Enstone in successfully jointly comprising the tetrarchy of Formula One across 2012-13.

 

[Titch]

. OMG is it contagious.

 

[Dash Racing]

Indubitably, Titch!

 

[Incubus]

i wonder what Monthy Python would have made of McLaren this season?

 

[RasputinLives]

A conversation I heard at the Formula E test between a dad and his son:

Kid: That car looks like a Mclaren

Dad: It can't be a Mclaren son. I've seen it come round 3 times now without stopping.

 

[Il_leone]

RasputinLives

Email that to both Ron Dennis and Arai-san and they might get the picture what Mclaren Honda stands for today - a dump truck

 

[Legs]

The efficaciousness of McLaren's Gallic supremo was demonstrated cogently by the feats of Enstone in successfully jointly comprising the tetrarchy of Formula One across 2012-13.

I'm not sure that efficaciousness is a cromulent word - surely it's "efficacy"?

 

[teabagyokel]

Most probably; I don't tend to use it having not learned English in a certain quarter of Woking.

 

[Il_leone]

I don't call it English I call it Ronglish

 

[Kewee]

Some sad news out of New Zealand a few days ago that may have been lost due to the tragedy of losing Justin Wilson.
Phil Kerr died unexpectedly at the age of 82. For those who are unfamiliar with the name he was responsible for helping Jack Brabham by setting up and managing his business in Britain. He brought Denny Hulme to Britain to race for Brabham and managed his career leading to Hulme's World Championship driving for Brabham. In 1967 he formed a partnership with Bruce McLaren, Bruce and Denny as drivers with Phil Kerr managing the team. McLaren and Kerr were friends in New Zealand in the 50's racing in hill climbs. After Bruce McLaren's death Phil Kerr played a major role of holding the team together and it's believed McLaren would have folded were it not for his efforts. Ron Dennis payed tribute to him on the McLaren website last week.
Phil wrote a very good book thats still available, "To Finish First", one of the best books written on motorsport. Read it if you get a chance, some great history of McLaren's early years.
Thanks for the memories Phil Kerr R.I.P.