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.)

 

[Incubus]

These figures though are only significant to a certain point, in that a car leading the race with 4 seconds or so in front with 5 laps to go is unlikely to push as hard as someone fighting to keep second.
What was visually certain was that Hamilton's rear tyres were increasingly sliding on the hairpin preceding the pit-straight and that its driver was struggling to put the power down.

 

[Viscount]

Reading various reports around the web I think McLaren might be bringing a B-spec car to the British GP with a stepped nose like everyone else. Since the new higher front nose they brought to Barcelona there haven't been any major upgrades on the car, so perhaps they've given up on developing the car around the smooth front end and will be adopting the stepped nose like everyone else for the rest of the season. In Barcelona and Monaco they tested a removable extra part on top of the front end in Practice.

http://www1.skysports.com/formula1/gallery/24052/7748414/mclaren-getting-nosey-in-barca

 

[ExtremeNinja]

Interesting. There are pictures of that on both types of noses; both high and drooped.

 

[Olivier]

Olivier, Pirelli publish in depth stats as well, with N/U meaning New/Used.

Alonso: SN SN (15) MN (28) 2
Webber: MN SN (19) SN (38) 2
Massa: SN MN (11) SN (27) MU (34) SU (53) 4
Hamilton: SU MN (13) MN (28) 2

Fenderman, Hamilton had no worse wear than Alonso, but Alonso had a 4 second and Hamilton barrier back to Raikkonen.
View attachment 4312

tooncheese
Thanks for the graph but unfortunately I can't understand what is it telling us? What is X and what is Y?

 

[tooncheese]

Olivier, laps along the bottom, and seconds away from the optimum time along the side. This graph factors out fuel effect and laps with errors. There's a bit more detail over in the Tyre Analysis thread.

 

[KekeTheKing]

It's amazing what gets lost in the shuffle of F1 history through the years. Especially in that manic weekend at Monaco last year.

Going through the BBC Forum I was reminded of this little beauty. They were obviously setting the stage for the pit lane calamities that would ensue in 2012.

 

[Dario Resta]

....and it's clear to me Josh that Whitmarsh's response is downright insulting. Stick up for your driver for christ's sake!

You've got Red Bull claiming shenanigans with the Safety Car (which there were), and you know that gives Vettel reassurance that someone has his back when things go wrong.

After Lewis thrashed Jense in Canada the entire Woking outfit was dissecting that data down the Nth degree to sort out why. Now they leave him hanging after being rudely punted out of the race, forcing him to keep mum in post-race interviews, and now you have Marty being quoted as saying that his driver had "clearly not" handled the situation correctly (in retrospect of course ) .

And do you not even recognize the vast discrepancy in messages being sent? 7 laps to go....."GO FOR THE WIN!" After the race, "he should have just brought it home......" Clarify that Josh

I don't know what your beef is Keke, but with 7 laps to go his tyres may well have been good. With a lap and a half to go they were shot to hell. At that point he should have just brought it home for vital points. It doesn't take a brain surgeon to work out that having a balls-out, don't give up, nobody takes me around the outside attitude won't win the championship this year. It doesn't matter who was challenging him, he should have let it go and taken what was left. sometimes you have to swallow your pride and look at the bigger picture. Lewis didn't do that and may regret it.

Was it Maldonado's fault? 100% yes. In my opinion, it should have been at least a 5 place grid drop for Silverstone.

That doesn't mean Lewis made the right decision to tough it out. Blame for the accident, and Lewis' decision making just prior to it are two different things.

 

[KekeTheKing]

Have I not been clear, in like 3 or 4 threads? I find it sickening how Hamilton is getting ripped for making a perfectly legitimate defense of a position. If he had made a stupid blocking move then I could see why people would criticize him. It's a downright shame that by fairly defending a podium place Lewis is being chastised.

I also find it disgraceful that in Formula One, with the best drivers in the world, we can have a situation where one driver is expected to yield because a collision is considered inevitable solely because the oncoming driver is universally known as a loose cannon. It's absurd!

And also, how do you think Hamilton feels this week knowing that his team couldn't muster the gumption to back him up when the chips were down, while Red Bull has no problem whatsoever calling out the FIA, the stewards, and the Spanish organizers for compromising Vettel's race.

Hamilton is fighting a resurgent Ferrari team that gives their ace 100% support. He's battling an RBR juggernaut that will go to extreme lengths to back their #1 by saying things that the whole world may find ridiculous. And maybe worst of all, he's trying to overcome some of the shoddiest pit service I can recall in years.

Would it have been so fucking difficult for McLaren to say that they supported Lewis' efforts to attain a podium finish. I mean really? The main thing they were concerned about was crowing to anybody that might listen that they miraculously completed the fastest pit stop motor racing has ever seen. Pathetic.


EDIT - If somebody asked me before the race; Do you want 12 points or Zero? Well then yeah, I suppose I'd take the 12. Same thing as after the race, I guess I'd take the dirty dozen. But that ain't the way it works....

I respect the hell out of Hamilton for placing his car so perfectly with what little Pirelly he had left. The only problem was that his competitor had so little respect for him.

 

[F1ang-o]

KekeTheKing

100% deserve your crown.

I think too many have got used to bullies and each time an incident is by-passed/allowed/given a minor penalty..it will go on & on

I read a book last year, 100 top F1 drivers of all time ..............number one........Stirling Moss..............Respect
It is sad that he was never awarded a WDC...IMO he deserved it

F1 is dangerous, needs to set an example to the next generation of athletes aspiring to join it's ranks......
WDC is more than Money,Points or lifting a cup.
Someone said "It's not the winning, it's the way you play the game."
To some, any win is a win however it is acheived, dubious goings on & quite unbelievable strategy, 'Crashgate' for an opener
Give me Lewis & Kimi anyday of the week,two racers...fair but firm, honest.racers..SPORTSMEN...not vindictive grudge bearers.
Maybe a ,,,strikes & your'e out.rule would make hot heads cool down.
McLaren can I suggest some music for your pit garage..Stand by your man'

 

[FB]

Errm - The Lewis vs Pastor thread was shut down as it was getting a little heated. Can we please not turn every thread on this site into discussing the same thing over and over again. Once more, there are fairly entrenched opinions and no amount of rhetoric or brow beating is going to change the mind of another member so please calm the fuck down y'all.

Thanks

FB

 

[Hamberg]

I understand where you are coming from Keke and if a driver is clearly told what to say to keep the team looking good, the least they can do is return the favour. What astounded me was the praise Button got for driving a good race and doing well to finish in 8th. Really? He was out of the points had it not been for some late and unusual front runner failings. That, in a car that was challenging for the win = piss poor race to me.

And those pit stops, really, do they think we are idiots?? Well done for getting 2.9seconds with a piece of equipment that's less durable than a pirelli tyre!

They need to sack their PR person, pronto. Is that Sam Michael as well by chance??

 

[racecub]

Arrgh!! thought Id replied to this but thnik I did something wrong. OOOPS! Just wanted to say, great post keketheking...I agree completely with what you say

 

[Dizzi]

Good post Keke, I'm so disappointed with the lack of backbone McLaren appear to have this season.
I don't care who the drivers are they should be backing them up if they haven't done anything wrong, I don't think Jenson would've meekly let cars past either with a podium in sight.
McLaren management are doing a fine job of not being team players right now, let's hope they buck up their ideas pretty damn quick.
I'm vaguely hoping the new upgrades for Silverstone work & we get our first McLaren 1-2 of the year (bit optimistic??!)

 

[Senna's_right_foot]

 

[Fenderman]

Heh, heh. That was a good one! Thanks Senna's_right_foot

 

[Speshal]

Bit strange that McLaren will be adopting the High-Nose now. Turvey must have really like it.

I'm not trying to stir anything re the testing situation up and it's not directly aimed at you Keke (just the first search result that came up for Turvey)

But......

I was just watching the Goodwood coverage and learnt that young Oliver Turvey has a degree in engineering and is doing his Masters thesis on F1 Aerodynamics, oh and he can drive a car too. (not bad for a test driver)

 

[racecub]

Thats great. Credit to Turvey. I have friends who've gone down the engineering route and done very well. But while they were at Uni getting the qualifications other guys were out driving the cars. Depends whether you want to focus on engineering and/or team management, or you have the talent to go all the way with the driving. I think I'd listen to my fastest race driver's opinion quite a lot. If that tuned in with the tester with the degrees that would be ACE!

 

[Senna's_right_foot]

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/100914

"There should be seven or eight modifications coming through," Whitmarsh told AUTOSPORT. "It is a reasonable package, if all the parts deliver - that is if we get them out of manufacturing and on to the car, and if they deliver on track as we predict and we believe then it should be worth something.

"We have another package coming for Germany which visually is a bigger package of changes. It will be more noticeable.

I'm wondering if McLaren are switching to the stepped nose?

 

[The Pits]

I think they will only be able to step the nose if they have a new chassis. Not out of the question I guess. It seems like the next two races are going to see some significant changes to the car.

 

[Viscount]

Reading various reports around the web I think McLaren might be bringing a B-spec car to the British GP with a stepped nose like everyone else. Since the new higher front nose they brought to Barcelona there haven't been any major upgrades on the car, so perhaps they've given up on developing the car around the smooth front end and will be adopting the stepped nose like everyone else for the rest of the season. In Barcelona and Monaco they tested a removable extra part on top of the front end in Practice.

http://www1.skysports.com/formula1/gallery/24052/7748414/mclaren-getting-nosey-in-barca

Looks like my suspicions might be true: