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]

Nor is the 2013 one...

 

[Greenlantern101]

Would you like to go for a walk around McLaren?
Well come this way. ENTER.
..
Stop touching yourself

 

[Hamberg]

Already been there for real

 

[Mephistopheles]

Did you meet Lewis...

 

[Hamberg]

I was pretty close but Kobayashi posed for a photo for me which my Dad then photo bombed to "authenticate" it. I spoke to Whitmarsh, Paddy Lowe, Ross Brawn and Crofty. Saw Ron too and stroked Senna's mp4-4. I also had my belief confirmed that James Allen is a cocknose.

Why the heart? I know you're feelings for Jenson but it is possible to be a fan without going tingly in funny places

 

[Mephistopheles]

I hope you gave Whitmarsh a good dressing down and told him that some people on CTA know exactly what he is doing wrong from their very own armchairs.....

And what the fuck was Koby doing there?

 

[The Artist.....]

I was pretty close but Kobayashi posed for a photo for me which my Dad then photo bombed to "authenticate" it. I spoke to Whitmarsh, Paddy Lowe, Ross Brawn and Crofty. Saw Ron too and stroked Senna's mp4-4. I also had my belief confirmed that James Allen is a cocknose.

Why the heart? I know you're feelings for Jenson but it is possible to be a fan without going tingly in funny places

What was Kobayashi doing at McLaren... Are you sure you don't mean Kovalainen?

 

[FB]

If it was the F1 Fans Forum they have people from all different teams.

 

[Plutus]

I also had my belief confirmed that James Allen is a cocknose.

Haha, I have always thought the same of him too.

 

[Hamberg]

Thank you FB, look at my avatar people!!!

I do like the way nobody questioned why Ross Brawn was there

 

[The Pits]

What was cock nose doing there?

 

[Hamberg]

He was the host, Q&A facilitator. He wouldn't let me ask my question

 

[Mephistopheles]

Why? Unless one of your question to him was "Why are you such a cocknose?"

 

[Hamberg]

Oh, do you think that's why?

 

[Mephistopheles]

It could be, some people can be so sensitive sometimes...

 

[LifeW12]

You know why McLaren had a bad season? Sam Michael.

Look what he did at Williams when he took over in 2004, they were useless. One win under his helm. He left in 2011 and they won a race in 2012

 

[Mephistopheles]

You won't get an argument from me on that LifeW12 I have no idea why McLaren employed him in the first place his track record is total shit....

 

[RasputinLives]

What does he actually do?

 

[LifeW12]

It doesn't matter what he does, the fact he's on that team's payroll it bad news.

(Sporting Director btw)

 

[sushifiesta]

He's responsible for making sure everything runs smoothly at the race track and things like pit stops etc., he has nothing to do with the design of the car so you can't blame him for that. And sure Williams weren't in a particularly good state when he left them but he was working with very limited resources and it's not like they did any better this season is it?

Criticism of Sam Michael's role at McLaren is something that seems to pop up every now and then and for me it's just completely uncalled for.