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.)

 

[Il_leone]

We have to assume Ron Dennis did not have an issue with Sam Michael joining then either

 

[Il_leone]

Oh, McLaren up to 29 in their top 50 list.

http://www.mclaren.com/page/mclarens-50-greatest-drivers-8

Yes at the bottom of the 50 we've got Alliott, De Cesaris and Mansell

 

[FB]

I'd forgotten about Andrea...

 

[RasputinLives]

Mclaren create hundreds of jobs with plans for a new centre obviously named in Ron Speak

http://www.mclaren.com/page/hundreds-of-new-jobs-to-be-created-by-exciting-new-mclaren-plans

Also Pedro De La Rosa says he's proud to be Mclaren's reserve driver and hopes to be for the next few years. Is Pedro the worls longest serving Test Driver? Is he really that good? Didn't seem to bring Sauber that much did he.

 

[Galahad]

Also Pedro De La Rosa says he's proud to be Mclaren's reserve driver and hopes to be for the next few years. Is Pedro the worls longest serving Test Driver? Is he really that good? Didn't seem to bring Sauber that much did he.

I think Luca Badoer must have been at Ferrari for longer, until getting a race drive ended his career. And like Luca, Pedro proves that (apparently) you don't have to be blisteringly quick to be a good test driver.

Going way off topic and away from F1, I was surprised to learn recently that 1970s-80s rally star and racer Walter Rohrl is still a test driver for Porsche. I daresay there are others.

 

[Galahad]

Barrichello: McLaren were right to sign Sam Michael:

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/94709

 

[Il_leone]

Barrichello: McLaren were right to sign Sam Michael:

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/94709

Well Jenson admitted Mclaren's errors have cost them dearly this season and perhaps Sam Michael should help make them more organised you'd think

But Red Bull have made errors this season as well with a few bungled pitstops but the difference is they all seem to hurt Webber the most or Vettel gets lucky by "only" finishing 2nd at worst or flukes into an outrageous win - Monaco. Even the tyre issue at Spa they managed to survive that without suffering the consequences

 

[RayInTorontoCanada]

Here are some very honest, balance and well though-out words from Martin Whitmarsh.

http://www.itv.com/formula1/news/20...lewis-hamilton-after-latest-track-clash-4683/

Whitmarsh is genuinely candid about the mistakes McLaren make...and also seems like he's 100 percent behind Lewis - as any proper team manager should be behind a driver of that calibre.

It's a shame that Lewis doesn't have a proper personal manager at the Grand Prix meetings in order to ensure things go smoothly in terms of preparations.

 

[Slyboogy]

McLaren as usual, their own worst enemy.

I think they should have won more grand prix's than they have this season...

 

[RasputinLives]

I just hope Mclaren aren't their own worst enemy where contracts are concerned. With Massa still not putting results in the longer they dilly dally over extending Button's contract the more likely Ferrari are going to consider paying Massa off and offering Button a drive their next year.

On top of which an unhappy Lewis might decide a change is as good as a rest and negociate his way out into a Red Bull or a Merc for either next season or the following which would leave Mclaren with neither of their drivers and who at the moment could they bring in to replace them? I hear the majority of you shout Rosberg which is a good call but he is unproven and could go wrong.

 

[RayInTorontoCanada]

I just hope Mclaren aren't their own worst enemy where contracts are concerned...the longer they dilly dally over extending Button's contract the more likely Ferrari are going to consider paying Massa off and offering Button a drive their next year.

On top of which an unhappy Lewis might decide a change is as good as a rest and negociate his way out into a Red Bull or a Merc for either next season.

To be honest, the best think for Lewis would be for Button to sign for Ferrari and leave McLaren's focus solely on him again as was the case in '08 and '09.

As per the second paragraph...

...You think Hamilton has got any chance against Vettel at Red Bull? If he can't beat Button at McLaren, he won't be able to beat Vettel at Red Bull.

Hamilton has got a fast car at McLaren and should have won more races than 2 with that MP4-26 this year. If I were him I wouldn't bother with Mercedes as they're a long way off from matching the Top 3.

I'd concentrate on beating Button and winning some races this year.

 

[RasputinLives]

...You think Hamilton has got any chance against Vettel at Red Bull? If he can't beat Button at McLaren, he won't be able to beat Vettel at Red Bull.

I didn't get into who would beat who and how people would do etc etc. I just get the feeling that Lewis is at the point in his career now where he's thinking he needs a fresh start somewhere and put some passion into things. I quoted Red Bull because they're the strongest team on the grid and we know that the directors of the Red Bull company would probably drown in their own drool over all the marketing ties they could do with Lewis and Red Bull Racing, and I said Mercedes just because Lewis has a good history of working with them.

As to who would beat who and how and what and when - I can not say

 

[RayInTorontoCanada]

I just get the feeling that Lewis is at the point in his career now where he's thinking he needs a fresh start somewhere and put some passion into things.

The grass isn't always greener, Rasputin.

My friend, Lewis needs to sort himself out first and foremost and work with his team and race engineers to sort out qually strategy and maximize his qually prospects and ensure McLaren minimize the errors related to him as best as possible.

The team is a very good team. They're not perfect but they're very good and have fast, race-winning cars.

There's just as good a chance that he will find it's worse over at RBR with Vettel there.

I don't think any driver will find things going their way all the time. The competition is too stiff. If Lewis can win 2 more titles over the next 5 or 6 years against this level of talent, he will have done well.

His objective now needs to be to sort himself out first and formost.

Where is his manager? I don't see his manager in the garage to make sure things go smoothly.

 

[Hamberg]

Would his manager have prevented the nail on the track, fixed the fuel hose, made Maldonado not have blatantly hit him out of anger and stopped Hamilton getting a reprimand, made Kobayashi with a broken front wing not attempt to retake that place that was never going to be his...

He is far from perfect and has made stupid mistakes this year (as with every year actually) but his luck has been absolutely atrocious this year, other drivers with far less skill and a fair share amount on track incidents publicly criticising him and completely inconsistent stewarding towards him is going to get to you. He is human.

Don't tell me Fuller or a pussycat doll is responsible for this. McLaren were doing a sterling job keeping him motivated during that race (I saw it on the McLaren feed) and Whitmarsh is clearly giving him the support he now so desperately needs.

He works brilliantly with his team, that cannot be disputed and I have been very impressed of late with the way McLaren are handling him as a driver.

 

[RasputinLives]

My friend, Lewis needs to sort himself out first and foremost

Your friend Lewis? You're not one of these 'yes men' people keep talking about he's hanging around with are you? My god Ray it isn't your fault he's not driving well is it? Thats it isn't it? You've heard it here first - Lewis can't concentrate this season because he's too busy debating with Ray if Alonso's tyres were going off in monoco or not!

The grass isn't always greener, Rasputin.

I totally agree and once again I wasn't saying it was. I was just pointing out that its only human for someone in a situation where they feel they can't get anything right to a spring clean and a fresh start and I wouldn't be surprised if your mate Lewis isn't pondering that now from time to time.

Where is his manager? I don't see his manager in the garage to make sure things go smoothly.

His manager is a lovely evil capitalist gentleman called Simon Fuller who was responsible for the Spice Girls. He is notourisly camera shy and is probably not in the garage but watching the race at Simon Cowells house whilst trying to book Lewis on to Saturday Night Live. Having said that did we ever used to see anyone's managers or dads? its a proper media thing isn't it. We don't even know if Fernando has a dad as we never see any of his family in the pit lane but when he gets bad results we don't all go "well it must be because his family don't love him". I'm sure the likes of Senna and Prost didn't need their managers to sort out their team for them and neither does Lewis. He just needs to learn how to calm and focus more. Maybe he should go to a Meditation retreat whilst in India.

 

[RayInTorontoCanada]

Would his manager have prevented the nail on the track, fixed the fuel hose, made Maldonado not have blatantly hit him out of anger and stopped Hamilton getting a reprimand, made Kobayashi with a broken front wing not attempt to retake that place that was never going to be his...

Don't tell me Fuller or a pussycat doll is responsible for this. McLaren were doing a sterling job keeping him motivated during that race (I saw it on the McLaren feed) and Whitmarsh is clearly giving him the support he now so desperately needs.

A proper manager would have helped ensure his Q3 in Monaco and Singapore would have gone smoother.

So are you disagreeing with Anthonly Hamilton when he cites other driver's managers being in the garage at races and in their lives?

What do you know that Anthony Hamilton doesn't?

Tell us, please.

Thank you.

 

[RayInTorontoCanada]

Your friend Lewis?

You deliberately rejigged my quote to ridicule me.

That's fine. I'm a big boy...I can handle it.

 

[Slyboogy]

A proper manager would have helped ensure his Q3 in Monaco and Singapore would have gone smoother.

Never knew a manager was responsible for that...

 

[RasputinLives]

What do you know that Anthony Hamilton doesn't?

Lots of things. Bet he can't write a 4000 word essay on the Russian Revolution of 1905. I can. In your face Daddy Hamilton!!

apologies I seem to have been at the crazy pills today.

 

[Slyboogy]

apologies I seem to have been at the crazy pills today.

Did you take them out of Ray's cabinet?