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]

I dunno FB maybe through a sense of fair play and sportsmanship, please stop me if you think I'm being silly....

 

[FB]

Mclaren relented to Mercedes to let Paddy Lowe start work early

More fool them then. If the bloke has a contract which requires him to either see out the contract or give 12 months notice then McLaren are buggered as long as Red Bull carrying on paying him to stay at home.

 

[Il_leone]

FB Might be one for the CRB to sort out then . We've seen in the past some people can be bought out of their contract and I don;t think this guy is going to cost even 1/10th of what Mclaren may have to pay if they seriously want Alonso out of his Ferrari contract

 

[FB]

Now that is a far more interesting question.

 

[FB]

Another thought, watching the Super Car program, as to what is wrong at McLaren. They have a sound engineer to sort out the exhaust note. Surely the most important thing is that the car produces maximum performance and not what a "focus group" thinks a performance car should sound. You're not making perfume Ron, it's a car which should stir the soul and there shouldn't be a compromise. If this attitude extends into the race team I think we have the nub of the issue.

 

[KekeTheKing]

McLaren, those crafty, cagey, competitors will be going "radical" this weekend in an effort to better understand the 2014 car. From Jenson,

"Here I have a set-up on my car that is completely different to any other race we have had the last couple of years - just to see where we are. It might help us next year."

How this will affect the 2013 pace is anyone's guess.

Edit - I see downforce posted this in the GP thread. I hope these changes necessitate more discussion over here as well. For better or worse...

 

[RasputinLives]

If JB turns up to quali and sticks it on pole they are going to look mighterly silly for not doing it for the rest of the season.

In all honesty though that whiffs of JB giving an excuse for being crap this weekend before they've even turned a wheel.

 

[The Pits]

Well, McLaren have a good record of success when they decide to be radical

 

[Fenderman]

So Macca are using the Indian GP as a test. Lucky it's not defined as in-season testing isn't it. Oh, hang on, maybe I should wait for the FIA's reaction ...

 

[The Artist.....]

Fenderman - The teams are allowed to do more or less what they like during a race weekend, provided it meets the FIA rules - so they couldn't just bolt on a 2014 aero package, or the 2014 tyres, but changes in setup are fine!

 

[Mephistopheles]

In all honesty though that whiffs of JB giving an excuse for being crap this weekend before they've even turned a wheel.

And people call me cynical....

 

[RasputinLives]

No. People call you grumpy

 

[teabagyokel]

No, they also call him cynical. As well as cantankerous, unreasonable, in Nidd, misanthropic and intoxicated.

(Mephistopheles - all in jest, mate.)

 

[Fenderman]

Fenderman - The teams are allowed to do more or less what they like during a race weekend, provided it meets the FIA rules - so they couldn't just bolt on a 2014 aero package, or the 2014 tyres, but changes in setup are fine!

Sometimes I feel the need to knee-jerk and say something really offensive like NSS, but I take in a deep breath, sigh and breath out again. I say this because I have been posting on Clip for several years now and would think that regular posters will by now be familiar with my material. Indeed most regulars are. Even if peep's are not that is no excuse for them not to read stuff properly and fail to realise that their informative comment when tagging is suggesting that someone, in this case me, is a dick head.

Just in case my use of smiley's is not a sufficient clue, my preceding post was in jest. For those new to Clip or not familiar with my style, I generally use a smiley or two when I am being sarcastic or attempting humour. I know that sometimes I may be too subtle but my earlier gag played on two very obvious and well known tendencies in F1 and the contextual element, i.e:

1. The FIA's propensity to make an ass of itself by choosing to penalise teams and/or drivers often for shaky reasons
2. McLaren's propensity to attract penalties often for shaky reasons or out of proportion to the crime.
3. and this is the important bit, a publicly stated admission of abject defeat by a member of a team and their intention to relinquish hope of a decent race result to experiment with parts that may be useful in 2014.

As I said earlier "Lucky it's not defined as in-season testing isn't it." Which of course is a clue that I do know McLaren's intention is not illegal. However I do find it rather funny, somewhat tragic and not in the true spirit of racing competition.

Fenderman's note: My apologies to the Mod's if this response oversteps the mark. I post it openly because The Artist..... is not the only person to make me feel like this but he has unfortunately tripped the wire. Feel free to delete.

 

[Mephistopheles]

The sweet agony of misunderstood irony, I know it well Fenderman ....

 

[Hamberg]

Bless you Fenders. Meph are you confusing your sarcasm with irony

 

[Mephistopheles]

Irony is a more lighthearted form of sarcasm I believe....

 

[Fenderman]

Hmm, I didn't know that !

 

[Il_leone]

The Pits you mean like the mid wing or antelope nose

 

[RasputinLives]

No, they also call him cynical. As well as cantankerous, unreasonable, in Nidd, misanthropic and intoxicated.

(Mephistopheles - all in jest, mate.)

Well some people call me the Space Cowboy. Some people call me the Gangster of Love....etc etc

I guess experimenting on set up is the best way to go for Mclaren at the moment as there is not a lot else for them to do. I think we're all agreed a race win is out the question without a shake up or wet race and they are pretty secure in the constructors.

Why not start messing about with 2014 technology to get a head start. I'd be stunned if Red Bull don't do something like that once both titles are secure. Why wouldn't they?

Of course if all the front runners are messing about with new bits (thebones they can legally run anyway) some smart cookie of a team might capitalize and nip in there for a cheeky result in the here and now.