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.)

 

[RasputinLives]

The Martin Whitmarsh era is looking golden right now isn't it?

 

[Tuscan1969]

Best acting I have ever seen. Don't give up the day job lads.

Hmm it seems to take that New McLaren well over 13 seconds to get to 88MPH..... Not a good omen for Australia...

 

[FB]

Here's an interesting quote from Sir Ron Dennis of Woking OBE OCD from 1980

I can visualize something bigger, better than anything that has ever existed in Formula One. The ultimate team hasn't existed. It's not the desire or the ability that has hindered people - but money. We are trying to evolve something at McLaren International where there is no figurehead. We want the team to portray character and style. The closest example I can give is Ferrari. Any driver would want to drive for them yet they know that if they fall out they become immediate history. It's that sort of mystique, that intangible thing we want at McLaren.

Well, McLaren now make cars but they don't have that intangible thing a Ferrari car has and it looks like Ron's ego has got in the way of not having a figurehead. And if they don't find a title sponsor soon he might run out of money.

 

[Hamberg]

Thank you for translating FB

 

[Mephistopheles]

Loving the OCD tag

 

[siffert_fan]

He wouldn't lower the price of a title sponsorship before the season. Imagine how little interest anyone will have after the dismal performance I expect them to have in the first race.

He apparently thinks that NO money is better than "an insulting amount" of money.

 

[Mephistopheles]

Well someone is paying Alonso's wages...

 

[FB]

Honda.

 

[cider_and_toast]

I just can't believe, after all he's done for Woking, he's still not got is KBE. Must really grip him when he get's his Christmas card from Sir Frank each December.

 

[siffert_fan]

Maybe he already would have gotten one if he weren't such a complete arsehole.

 

[siffert_fan]

We could award him a KBE (Kingdom's Biggest Ego)

 

[cider_and_toast]

Nah, that can't be it. We give KBE's / Knighthoods to Pedophiles, Liars, Cheats, Traitors, just about anyone really.

It looks like there is a line somewhere after all.

 

[Mephistopheles]

That's true that is...

 

[olegg]

https://www.auto123.com/en/racing-n...o-entourage-suspects-car-failure?artid=175158

What is it?
If it is true
is it "replay Alonso-Dennis 2007 "?

 

[Mephistopheles]

Aaaahhh the press you've gotta luv 'em, actually no you don't I reckon the Spanish press would demand an explanation if Alonso stubbed his toe....

 

[RasputinLives]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/31664232

The headline for this article is "Alonso will win world drivers title with Mclaren says Gerhard Berger". Based on the current situation I believe it should read "Former Mclaren Driver Gerhard Berger says stupid things"

 

[The Artist.....]

I wonder whether we will ever see Alonso in a McLaren again!

 

[siffert_fan]

"Alonso has some extreme high talent in certain areas, not just in driving skills but in the way he runs the politics."--G Berger

How laughable is that? Did he completely forget Alonso's last sojourn at McLaren? Or does alleged attempted blackmail fall under his definition of "running the politics"?

 

[RasputinLives]

So after all that speculation Mclaren will start the season with the same driver line-up as they ended the last one.

I hope for Alonso's sake Mclaren's driver sutuation doesn't go all 1995.

 

[Mephistopheles]

Even though Alonso will not be driving in Australia the bookies have still given him better odds on winning the race than they have Jenson....