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.)

 

[cider_and_toast]

There are experts on here?

I just thought we were a happy band of F1 loving individuals who come together through the medium of the world wibe web, to discuss motorsport, past, present and future.

I believe you may have mistaken opinion for fact or is it that the ones you call experts are the ones with opinions that disagree with yours?

 

[Mephistopheles]

I think that qualifying is not Alonso's strongest point,

This expert says it isn't Jenson's either...

 

[Bill Boddy]

2009.

 

[Bill Boddy]

.... or is it that the ones you call experts are the ones with opinions that disagree with yours?

If I worried about anyone having views which differ from mine I wouldn't be on here.

 

[siffert_fan]

http://sniffpetrol.com/2015/03/31/new-sports-car-boasts-f1-know-how/#.VRxn_-FGY8o

 

[Bill Boddy]

Since sports cars are allowed on here:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukn...r-he-crashed-245k-supercar-on-test-drive.html

It looks like it was going a bit quicker than Sniff would have you believe that they can.

 

[Incubus]

something I found slightly odd in china today. Ever since testing began this year both its drivers have constantly praised the chassis in public and been banging about how it's just a question of time before Honda get their power unit up to speed and so on.

today we saw its drivers giving absolutely nothing away to the Mercedes-power lotus on the main straight. Either the chassis really is a bit more of a rotter than its drivers will admit, or something doesn't quite add up in there somewhere...

 

[Bill Boddy]

That is what I thought Incubus until I saw http://www.fia.com/sites/default/files/2015_03_chn_f1_r0_timing_racemaximumspeeds_v01.pdf.

 

[Il_leone]

The Mclaren's in free practice were pushing up to top 12 but quali it did not work

- now it seems like they have not found the sweet spot where they can get good downforce for the slow and medium speed corners whilst holding their own on the straights

- I think 4th place in the constructors appears to be wide open from Red Bull to everyone bar Manor should give Mclaren incentive to continue pressing forward

 

[Mephistopheles]

Well at least it seems to be able to last a race distance now, so that is a meagre something.

Edit.

I'm assuming it did finish the race as I couldn't be arsed to watch the last 20 laps...

 

[Kewee]

I'm assuming it did finish the race as I couldn't be arsed to watch the last 20 laps...

I had no idea you were such a committed fan.

 

[Mephistopheles]

My commitment to the sport is waning race by race...

 

[Kewee]

Mephistopheles ..... Mine to......time to take F1 back to what it should be. Give them a cubic capacity, a weight limit and turn the designers and engineers loose.

 

[The Artist.....]

Mephistopheles ..... Mine to......time to take F1 back to what it should be. Give them a cubic capacity, a weight limit and turn the designers and engineers loose.

... And a budget cap.....

 

[Kewee]

The Artist..... No!!!!!!!! no budget cap, or if there is a cap it should be high enough to allow unlimited testing at the very least. If you can't afford to be there go and race a lesser formula. Formula one should be the pinnacle and the ultimate showcase. If they want to satisfy the green movement they already have Formula E. The current hybrid formula can continue but shouldn't be called Formula One. The FIA seem to feel the need to get onside with the green movement which is a complete waste of time, the green's will never embrace motorsport in any form, they view it as unnecessary, wasteful and damaging to the planet regardless of the form it takes. I believe F1 should return to its roots, as I said two regulations cubic capacity and weight limit, then leave it to the designers and engineers to chase rev's using the engine configuration of their choice.

 

[The Artist.....]

Kewee

Prior to the late 1990s I'd have agreed with you! However, the growth of manufacturer teams, who fought to outspend each other, meant that to compete, you needed to spend £200million+... The costs in F1 have increased exponentially, whilst funding sources have increased linearly!

Personally, I would like to see computers banned from the design process, but that is something that is neither feasible nor possible to enforce; computers make it too easy to ensure that you haven't made a mistake!

 

[FB]

BMW, Honda and Toyota threw millions at F1 in the early noughties with, if I recall correctly, 2 race wins. Money doesn't mean results. I would imagine Red Bull's budget is significantly lower than Ferrari, Mercedes and McLaren yet they have won 8 titles in the last 5 years

 

[Porceliamone]

I think Red Bull have a budget comparable to both Ferarri and Mercedes. Still, it's a shame to see such a mighty team as McLaren, third only to Ferarri and Williams in terms of Championships languishing at the back of the grid just in front of the "expected" tail enders. Even when Williams were in their worst ever slide, I don't think they were looking this bad. One can only imagine the tension in the air in meetings with Ron Dennis these days. It must be horrendous.

 

[FB]

I have no idea how anyone has come up with this data but it shows Red Bull as spending the most on F1 in 2014.

https://infogr.am/team-f1-2014-budget-and-employees

What is interesting is that they show Mercedes as having 610 employees but Toto Wolff stated at the weekend that there are 1,500 people involved in the Mercedes project. Does that mean that their budget is actually 2 1/2 times what is shown?

 

[cider_and_toast]

I'm wondering where Toto gets his 1500 people from. Surely they are not all working directly for Mercedes on the F1 side? I'm wondering if it's a round up of the team, engine division (all staff, F1 and not) and various other Mercedes Motorsport staff.