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.)

 

[RasputinLives]

Maybe. He used to push that Honda pretty high up back in 2006 though.

Lets take note that Mclaren do have two drivers known for under performing in quali.

 

[The Pits]

I think that the truth is somewhere in the middle, and were it not for a poor run of races last year, I am not sure this question would even have arisen.

So, either they are having issues similar to Canada last year, where the car is just poorly matched to driver, or the car is genuinely poor.

Or, as I believe, the car could possibly be a couple of grid slots better, but I am not sure that race pace is truly a consistent weakness of jensons.

 

[no-FIAt-please]

Have to say people noted last year that both Perez and Button aren't one lap specialists. Although Button was close to Hamilton at times during their partnership. Still however the 44-14 qualifying record (in Hamilton's favour) is quite telling.

I think it's a similar situation at Ferrari, with neither driver there being known for Saturdays.

I suspect McLaren will have less successful Saturdays than they have become used to.

 

[pirateplunder]

I must have missed the bit where any of Ferrari, Lotus, Mercedes or Red Bull had to really consider Button in any of the three races so far? Whilst they couldn't afford to sit behind him the same would be true of any driver/car and as far as I remember with the exception of Massa, no one did. He finished 5th, 23sec off 3rd with Webber and Rosberg retired, Massa gone missing for some (unexplained?) reason and Grosjean being Grosjean. I think China flattered to deceive.

 

[The Artist.....]

pirateplunder

In Malaysia, had his wheel not fallen off in the pitstop, he would have likely been 3rd....

 

[pirateplunder]

^ LIkely, i would say likely not. While he *may* have been able to catch Hamilton and *may* have got past they would have released Rosberg. But if Mclarens possible success relies on if's and perhap's then if Alonso hadn't damaged his front wing and Ferrari hadn't decided to leave him out then Button would probably have been even further back.

 

[The Artist.....]

pirateplunder

He pitted from the lead, had his pitstop not gone awry he would not have had to pass Hamilton, as he wasn't due to stop again! Certainly he was lapping at the same speed... Hamilton and Rosberg would have needed to have passed him.... Certainly it would suggest that he was giving Mercedes something to think about!

 

[racecub]

Both Mercedes were conserving fuel and holding station, they couldn't catch the ones in front and weren't threatened from behind. Had they been threatened by Button, no doubt the engines would have been turned up, if not fully certainly enough hold Button off. I doubt very very much Button would have got further than fifth.
Also (might be wrong here ) wasn't Button running high because he was planning to run a stop less than the others? If so his tyres would have been in a worse state at the end of the race.

 

[Jen]

Ah, the fun of F1 - conjecture.

 

[The Artist.....]

racecub... So you acknowledge that Button was a threat for the Mercs then? Which is what pirateplunder is refuting!

 

[Senna's_right_foot]

If my aunt had balls she'd be my uncle. I'm sure McLaren are delighted that all it takes for them to fight for podiums is a few retirements and 2 cars in front of them fuel saving for 2 thirds of the race. Go McLaren

 

[pirateplunder]

It's a while ago now, but if I remember Perez had to make a very late pitstop because his tyres had stopped working and lost a couple of places. Its entirely likely that Button wouldn't have been able to maintain the pace without his tyres going off too.

 

[The Artist.....]

Button's stop was two laps later than Perez's

Button's lap times were holding up better than Perez's

Have a look at the lap data on the FIA website.....

 

[racecub]

racecub... So you acknowledge that Button was a threat for the Mercs then? Which is what pirateplunder is refuting!

No I'm not. I said HAD HE BEEN. I don't think he would have been butHAD HE BEEN, then the Mercs would have done something about it.

 

[RasputinLives]

I must have missed the bit where any of Ferrari, Lotus, Mercedes or Red Bull had to really consider Button in any of the three races so far? Whilst they couldn't afford to sit behind him the same would be true of any driver/car and as far as I remember with the exception of Massa, no one did. He finished 5th, 23sec off 3rd with Webber and Rosberg retired, Massa gone missing for some (unexplained?) reason and Grosjean being Grosjean. I think China flattered to deceive.

Now I was very careful to say they had to factor Jenson in strategically and not use the word threat meaning that his pace meant they had to factor in his whereabouts and that he might come into play where their strategy was concerned.

I delib phrased it like that so no argument would begin around the very sensitive topic of Merecedes vs Mclaren.

 

[Lewywo4]

I delib phrased it like that so no argument would begin around the very sensitive topic of Merecedes vs Mclaren.

 

[Fenderman]

If Jenson could have been a threat to the Mercedes then I suspect that he would have been but not only was he not a threat he somehow didn't threaten them when perhaps he could have or should have done, maybe.

 

[Senna's_right_foot]

http://www.gpupdate.net/en/f1-news/293455/button-hails-very-productive-first-day/

McLaren struggling again. On a side note - the McLaren doesn't quite look right without the Vodafone logo somehow.

 

[sushifiesta]

I thought the same. We're going to have to get used to it though because this is Vodafone's last year with McLaren!

 

[The Artist.....]

http://www.gpupdate.net/en/f1-news/293455/button-hails-very-productive-first-day/


McLaren struggling again. On a side note - the McLaren doesn't quite look right without the Vodafone logo somehow.

To me, McLarens don't look right without being white with red chevrons on them.... And the mp4-12c should only be available in orange!