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]

RasputinLives This is going to be the most unlike Mclaren philosophy and it will be a huge risk if Mclaren put two rookies next season

 

[FB]

Just a thought, could the decision to let Alonso drive in WEC be a pre-cursor to a McLaren Toyota partnership in F1? Not many companies with more experience of hybrid racing engines.

 

[Il_leone]

FB Interesting theory but I thought after getting fingers burned with one Japanese engine supplier why would they risk it again with another - despite being Honda's rival?

Also Toyota have got a very poor record in F1 so it is going to take a lot of convincing to get them back in F1 especially the troubles they've had in recent years

 

[RasputinLives]

Interesting this comes out same day the Lando Norris Torro Rosso story appears.

https://www.planetf1.com/news/latifi-eyeing-formula-1-seat-for-2019/

 

[Il_leone]

If I was Lando Norris I would not take the Toro Rosso drive unless he has got some guarantee of a race seat at Mclaren next season or elsewhere

 

[RasputinLives]

Why wouldn't you take it? Interested because everyone(including me) said Vandoorne shouldn't take it when it was offered as he was better off getting more experience and that has proved to be wrong.

 

[FB]

Just think, If Van Doom had taken other opportunities he might not now be driver a GP2 car

 

[Bill Boddy]

From Lafiti's performance this afternoon he would be better off seeking a Williams seat.

 

[Il_leone]

RasputinLives Apparently there is an agreement in place that if there is no offer by October , Mclaren would not let Norris take it

At this point Lando is doing F2 and dominating the series through his consistency.. I just read an article the other day they think he will lead the next generation of British talent to F1 with him , Russell, Aitken , Illott and Ticktum

I don;t want him distracted in pursuing the F2 title which I think is what Mclaren are thinking. At the moment his career is going upwards so looking at the madness of Toro Rosso where you've a season to prove yourself or you're dropped seems now the norm.
Hartley has not not shone but all this about his seat being under threat is no good to him and won't help the next person coming
into the seat feeling the same sort of pressure

Also Gasly's career is on the up so how would Norris confidence be if he knows he is getting beaten?

A good example is Romain Grosjean who should have won GP2 in 2009 but instead Hulkenberg won but that was because Flav kept messing about on whether to replace Piquet Jnr and then when he finally did Romain was not ready and it took him 2 years to recover his career

Another youngster who would have gone through this phase was Tomas Scheckter .. I seem to remember his season was a mix of F3 then F3000 and F1 testing and it sort of messed up his focus until he decided to go kerb crawling and that was the end of his F1 career

Also I think Mclaren don;t want to be dropping Van Doorn yet unless Alonso gives a firm commitment about his future is the other problem

 

[RasputinLives]

McLaren's pace in quali at Canada is a bit worrying.

 

[Il_leone]

It can't be all down to the Honda engine They seem to have poor driveability in low speed corners and is this going to be the trigger point for Alonso to quit F1 and go Indycar and Le Mans next season

 

[Il_leone]

Canada GP: Jolyon Palmer column - will McLaren's problems see Alonso leave F1?

Even Jolyon thinks Mclaren could end up like Williams down the road to the back

 

[gethinceri]

They'll bail before then, spend a few years in Indy or WEC, then back to F1

 

[Il_leone]

The fact Mclaren are thinking of fielding an Indycar team shows they want to still gain exposure outside F1 ( as well as massage Alonso's ego)

It would be interesting to see which engine they go with given there is only Chevrolet and Honda

 

[RasputinLives]

I'm guessing not Honda.

 

[cider_and_toast]

McLaren's Formula 1 credibility has been sliding steadily down the toilet for the last 5 years. If they are truly intent on regaining their status in F1 the last thing they need is to fanny around in Indy Racing. It's both a technical and financial distraction that they can ill afford.

At present, McLaren are part way down a well trodden path, looking at Williams up ahead while in the distance the smoking remains of Lotus, Brabham and BRM await at their final destination.

 

[Il_leone]

well another suggestion is they might enter Le Mans next year now

Mclaren can survive a bit longer than Williams because they have rich owners who do not need to sell and can afford pumping money into the team as well as try out other motorsports and look for ways to make more money

Williams on the other hand only exist to be successful in F1 but unfortunately it seems like without Frank and Patrick leading the team they are slidng to oblivion

 

[RasputinLives]

Yay bring back Martin Whitmarsh!

https://www.planetf1.com/news/mclaren-facing-revolt-as-staff-want-whitmarsh-intervention/

Do you hear that? That's the sound of hundreds of keyboard warriors drafting their posts with unfounded claims of racism and bringing down McLaren ready for his return.

 

[teabagyokel]

Well, it has gone brilliantly since he left, of that I think we can all agree!

 

[The Pits]

The staff are revolting!!