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.)

 

[Mephistopheles]

Which of course I would fight to the death to uphold, even when i don't agree with it, it is simply my duty to do so....

 

[Mephistopheles]

By eck you've to to av a thick skin to post on ere......

 

[RickD]

Well, its not like they had much luck with their last few drivers, is it?

 

[racecub]

After the upgrades failed to bring the required improvements on Friday, McLaren got the factory to make two new wings, one was driven out overnight, the other one flown out. Desperate measures.

 

[Fenderman]

Front wing on Perez's car loses bits as he runs wide in P3 ...

 

[teabagyokel]

Well, its not like they had much luck with their last few drivers, is it?

 

[Slyboogy]

Hamiltons lap last year was quicker than both of Perez's and Button's today.

3 tenths faster than Perez, and 1.4s faster than Buttons.

Worrying.

 

[The Pits]

Indeed. It is fairly clear that they have lost the opportunity to fight for anything significant this season, race wins is about all they can hope for.

I just hope that they do not hamstring themselves for next season struggling to catch up in this.

 

[Mephistopheles]

It is and if their race pace is as shit as last years (2.6 seconds off of the Williams.) they may as well pack it up..

Mind you the Williams is even worse they couldn't even get out of Q1..

That McLaren is going slower now than it was in winter testing.....

 

[Johnny Carwash]

It looks like the curse of Sam Michael has struck again. Wherever he goes the team he's at starts to go backwards at a rate of knots. It happened at Williams and now it's happening at Mclaren.

 

[Mephistopheles]

Did you hear him going on about how hard the team was working and that they even flew new front wings out but they arrived to late to pass scrutineering and he reckoned this proves that the team is doing all it can.

No it doesn't you had 3 fucking weeks to get those parts there, so what it proves is how fucking inept you are, and by the way try going out in the free practice sessions and putting some miles and work in, that's what they are there for, you gormless twat....

Here's a clue for you. All those cars you can see on the track are testing their new parts, it's not too difficult to grasp is it....

 

[The Pits]

This sounds similar to 2009, without the mitigation of coming off the back of a championship push and a major rule change.

I am not normally one for having a dig, but coming off the back of last year, McLaren should really have their shit together.

 

[Mephistopheles]

I agree...

 

[Lewywo4]

View attachment 6496

 

[Lewywo4]

It looks like the curse of Sam Michael has struck again. Wherever he goes the team he's at starts to go backwards at a rate of knots. It happened at Williams and now it's happening at Mclaren.

This mess surely can't be placed only on the back of Sam Michael....

Could the input from just one driver be a part of the problem?

 

[Il_leone]

Mephistopheles
Lewywo4

Given Sam Michaels had 8 years at Williams to sort the team out as the technical director... the cars went from home world title challengers to midfield teams

I for one gasped in horror that he was joining Mclaren from Williams.. he aint no Ross Brawn or Pat Symonds

Yes someone should tell Sam the other teams are doing the same thing and have shown to do a better job than you did with your team in 3 weeks

How are Mclaren getting input from only one driver then ?

 

[Mephistopheles]

The blokes a bloody joke Il_leone you only have to look at his mediocre record to see that...

 

[Titch]

I agree with Brogan

 

[RickD]

teabagyokel - One WDC in a decade isn't success for a team like McLaren. Also they concentrated all their efforts on one driver to get that championship.

 

[teabagyokel]

RickD - This suggests none of McLaren's drivers since 1999 have been at all successful, except Lewis Hamilton.