Did McLaren Jump the Gun with Pérez?

Yes all that is true but it is not exactly the point Whitmarsh was getting at, he knows exactly what Perez's performance was in the race as he is the one with all the data to hand and obviously the data tells him that Perez's race was below what he expected which is what disappointing means..

As this statement shows.

Martin Whitmarsh, McLaren team principal
“Checo was unfortunate in that he spent a lot of the race stuck behind slower cars - and, although he showed his fighting spirit at the end by passing Adrian for ninth place, ultimately his was a disappointing result. Jenson was unlucky to incur front-wing damage at the start, as a result of contact with another car, triggering an unscheduled early pitstop. However, thereafter he did a truly brilliant job of tyre management, running the Prime for an extremely impressive 44 laps [from lap 12 to lap 55, inclusive]. Had that early mishap not occurred - and had he instead been able to drive the first 44 laps of the race on the Prime - undoubtedly he’d have been able to finish very strongly and thereby score a decent number of world championship points. So that was a great pity, because as I say he drove beautifully and in my view a performance of that quality deserves to be rewarded with world championship points. But that’s racing.
Click to expand
 
Last edited:
I've seen the statement thanks and there is emphasis on getting stuck behind slower cars yet he still managed to complete a move on the last lap. He said the result is disappointing not his 'drive' as you have implied.

Different set up, different strategy, finished higher in both quali and race.

Whitmarsh can blab on about "if Jenson this and if Jenson that" but the fact is Jenson didn't and there is nothing to suggest he could have got past slower cars either. Perez scored the only points.
 
Only he did call his performance disappointing according to this.

McLaren team boss Martin Whitmarsh described the Mexican's performance in Abu Dhabi on Sunday as "disappointing".
Click to expand

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula-one/24844304

And anyway it matters not one whit what you or I think what matters is that Whitmarsh seems to have lost faith in Perez and he is the man who will decide who will or will not drive for McLaren next year not me and not you...
 
Last edited:
Actually since 2010, in terms of race victories, Martin Whitmarsh is the second best team principal in Formula One.

I can't say Perez really impressed me on Sunday. Steady but hardly future champion matterial. The 12 seconds JB trailed him by after all his issues and the 6th place in P3 shows the real pace of the car.

Hamberg, I know you're a Perez fan, but the question still remains, in signing Perez did Mclaren sign a future world champion? Or did they jump the gun?

If the answer is that they did then wouldn't it be wise to correct that mistake now?
 
Actually I was going to say to hamberg that, that all depends on how you measure success if as a man then I would say he has been very successful in his life becoming TP of one of the tops teams in F1 but if you mean as TP then as you point out RasputinLives he hasn't done too badly at that either and any failings are that of the team as a whole because as people keep saying F1 is a TEAM sport not an individual one unless of course people credit all of RedBulls success to Horner...
 
Last edited:
I'm not a Perez fan I just like his driving style although admit it can be tamed a little but as a lot of the more aggressive (not to be confused with reckless) drivers have found the insistence on Sunday driving in modern F1 plus tyre management to this degree is difficult.

Did they jump the gun? I don't think so. I still think Hulkenberg would upset the balance.

I specified Whitmarsh as team principal and as has been pointed out to me, he's leading a team of highly resourced people and technology and hasn't even mustered a podium this year.

He signed Perez, you can't have it both ways.
 
Last edited:
I don't think anyone hates Perez or even dislikes him I'm sure that is not what this thread is about as you know I like Button and if it was just a case of Jenson having a teammate that can't beat him then I would be hoping that McLaren kept him for next year instead of wanting a stronger teammate, but maybe my subconscious tells me that Button performs better when he has got a strong teammate like in the Lewis years and that is why I don't think Perez should stay, this is not clear to me but something tells me Perez isn't the one...

And as for McLaren not scoring a podium this year you can't really be blaming that on Whitmarsh alone surely he did not design or even have a hand in building the shit car they have this year...
 
I am amazed Martin Whitmarsh has continued to be TP for so long actually. Even if McLaren have been second best, is clearly isn't good enough. Of all the teams (because I support them) McLaren should be competing at the top with Red Bull. They have the resources, the brains, the money, errm a nice caterer & media centre, so why aren't they? I guess it's my disappointment that leads me to lay the finger of blame at the TP but something has to change for the better with McLaren. Coming second (or quite a bit worse lately) just shouldn't be in their DNA. I can only conclude that Martin is Ron's 'yes man' but I can't imagine Ron tolerating failure like this for so long.
 
Yes I think they did jump the gun. My pick and a perfect fit for McLaren has always been Paul di Resta. I not only think he'd be a perfect fit for McLaren I think he and Jenson would work well together. If you look at the seasons results so far the only drivers, with the exception of Grosjean, that are in front of di Resta in the points standings are the most experienced in the sport, those that are just a whisker below the top level. Tenth in the standings just one place behind Button already has him in the top half of the grid.
 
Last edited:
So Hamberg if McLaren go on to win the championship next year or the year after that will all be down to Whitmash by that reckoning but my thinking is that if that did happen people will say it is the team that has won and Martin will get no recognition whatsoever...

I guess all the other ten TP's must be shit as well because none of them have won any championships in the last four years either, some of them can't even pay their drivers...

Why aren't we all on bended knee with our heads bowed in praise of Horner....
 
Last edited:
Hamberg said:
It's never all down to one person but leadership and ultimate accountability lies with Whitmarsh, shit or shine.
Click to expand
It is either down to one person i.e. Whitmarsh or it isn't - however the same chap is the leader so therefore has ultimate accountability? I'm confused :dunno:
 
Let's look at how much other teams have challenged Red Bull since 2010:

Lotus: Intermittently when it's hot.
Ferrari: Second half of 2010 and 3 races mid-season 2012
Mercedes: Qualifying in 2013 and non-tyre limited races.
McLaren: Fast circuits in 2010. 6 wins in 2011 and intermittently through 2012.

If you maintain Whitmarsh ought to be for the chop, so are Dominicali, Boullier and Brawn.
 

Similar threads

FB
  • Article Article
Grand Prix 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Practice, Qualifying & Race Discussion
    • Like
2 3
Replies
55
Views
1K
JuanSenna
JuanSenna
F1Brits_90
Poll Top 10 Drivers of 2024
Replies
6
Views
205
cider_and_toast
cider_and_toast
F1Brits_90
  • Article Article
Grand Prix 2024 Azerbaijan Grand Prix Practice, Qualifying & Race Discussion
    • Like
2
Replies
38
Views
1K
F1Brits_90
F1Brits_90
cider_and_toast
  • Article Article
Grand Prix 2024 Qatar Grand Prix Practice, Qualifying & Race Discussion
    • Like
    • Grin
3 4
Replies
66
Views
1K
Il_leone
Il_leone
FB
  • Article Article
Grand Prix 2024 Dutch Grand Prix Practice, Qualifying & Race Discussion
    • Like
Replies
19
Views
584
cider_and_toast
cider_and_toast
Back
Top Bottom