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.)

 

[Lewywo4]

This thread has been very quiet for a while. Any news on who will be the new title sponsor at McLaren next season?

FB......GSK looks as if they may be a contender to be Mclaren's title sponsor.

http://joesaward.wordpress.com/2013/05/07/thoughts-about-a-new-mclaren-sponsor/

 

[Il_leone]

Not sure the logic behind GSK behind title sponsor given Pharmacy companies are not doing great trading wise.
- they should Lucozade recently to a japanese company


It would be interesting to see if Santander will take the chance or not

 

[Lewywo4]

ll_leone.... GSK sales in drink products such as Boost, which they own have increased by 23%, and clearly can be seen on the rear wing on this Mclaren.View attachment 7184

 

[teabagyokel]

FB Road of Bones - If it is to be Cillit Bang, does that mean John Button can replace Barry Scott in the adverts? He's already got a pink shirt, don't you know!

 

[Mephistopheles]

I don't know which would kill the plants quicker Cillit Bang or John Buttons urine.....

 

[gethinceri]

Cillit Bank

Not investing with them.

 

[Road of Bones]

Ok, all flippancy aside, rumours suggest Gillette might be a major sponsor...and that Hulkenberg's weight might factor against him being at McLaren next year...

http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns26429.html

 

[Mephistopheles]

I'm sure the Hulk could shave some of that weight off.

 

[Road of Bones]

Not when he's angry...you wouldn't want to weigh him when he's angry!

Edit - worth mentioning that Force India feel that PdR has underperformed too...

 

[Titch]

Not when he's angry...you wouldn't want to weigh him when he's angry!

Edit - worth mentioning that Force India feel that PdR has underperformed too...

Really that does surprise me

 

[RasputinLives]

Gilette? Aren't they....*gulp*.....Bruno Senna's personel sponsor?

To quote Han Solo; I have a bad feeling about this!

 

[teabagyokel]

If Hulkenburg loses his place in F1 because of his weight, then every single team up and down the grid should be ashamed of themselves. If McLaren need Bruno Senna as a pay driver, I think they all ought to pack up!

Although, it would complete the set.

 

[Mephistopheles]

The set of Lotus, Williams and McLaren you mean teabagyokel

 

[teabagyokel]

Mephistopheles - While he drove at Lotus, they were based at Enstone, thus Toleman too.

 

[Mephistopheles]

Ah yes the double whammy

 

[Il_leone]

I cannot believe Honda would demand Mclaren to Senna in the car as a marketing ploy to imitate Mclaren Honda and Senna just like Williams and Lotus have already

Mclaren have got 1 season of exclusive engine use so surely they need to show Honda they mean business -
-------------

Lewywo4

I work for a rival Pharmaceutical company to GSK and the industry is struggling so I don't think splashing out on sponsorship in F1 helps to save costs and promote healthy living that the company wants

Whilst it gives them exposure the one big market they want to get into which they are in trouble with the government for alleged bribery is China. So Mclaren having GSK name on their cars in China may not go down well

 

[Lewywo4]

ll_leone......you could be correct. Carlos Slim's support for Mclaren will end, if as it seems that Perez's neck is on the block, which opens the door for another title sponsor.

A recent post from Sky 1 continues to fuel the rumor mill, regarding Mclaren's strong pursuit of Alonso for 2014, which must be unsettling for Perez.

http://www1.skysports.com/f1/news/1...f-signing-fernando-alonso-for-the-2014-season

 

[The Artist.....]

So McLaren are hinting at having signed a "headline grabbing" member of staff on the technical side, to try to prevent future issues with car design.

The question is, who would this be. I see a few candidates:

Adrian Newey (but would he return to McLaren, would he want to leave Red Bull?)
Ross Brawn (although, he's denied this rumour)
Bob Bell/Aldo Costa/Geoff Willis (/Paddy Lowe) ( since there are so many chiefs in Mercedes at the moment)
Pat Fry/James Allison

Anyone else?

 

[F1Yorkshire]

Well Newey isn't at the track this weekend. Maybe something in that.....

 

[The Pits]

Gary Anderson?

He has been critical of them this season, although I seem to recall he was waxing lyrical about the car at the unveil. oh, and he said last years car looked poor at the unveil too!