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.)

 

[The Artist.....]

Fair play. It's unusual to read a statement from Ron-a-tron that is clear and free of Ron speak. Button has been putting a brave face on the whole thing which always goes down well corporately.

The big question is, with Button at the tail end of his time in F1 and pretty much behind Alonso in terms of pace at each race weekend so far, how muc further will that gap open?

Um, Button and Alonso hAve been very evenly matched. The stats are a little in Alonso's favour due to car breakages, but their pace is almost identical!

 

[Incubus]

The Artist..... Er... you sure "pace" is the right word?

Essentially the fastest of the two in terms of lap-times has been the one with the least serious mechanical issues to contend with, for they seem to have had them at pretty much every single session one way or the other. Which is also what makes speculations about Button's future a bit odd at this point because the simple fact is that neither driver can be reasonably judged this season. It's just not possible. Even Marussia are more capable of stringing together a trouble-free week-end than McLaren.

 

[teabagyokel]

I think we'll have seen two new US presidents inaugurated by the time McLaren's battling Ferrari and Williams again

Have you inserted a "Gerald Ford" clause into this prediction?

 

[Il_leone]

I've been saying this at this rate Mclaren will finish 9th in the constructors which is seriously going to hamper their development in 2016 and 2017 unless they can find some investment from somewhere who would back them

As 9th is only worth $20M in terms of prize money that is not enough to cover Alonso's wages alone . It is not inconceivable why Mclaren would consider dropping Button to place K Mag or more likely Van Doorn to save money but it aint going to move the team forward unless the car seriously improves

Interesting to read also it was Oojeh who vetoed Ron Dennis and demanded Button should be Alonso's teammate and not K-Mag
and Ron backed down

 

[Tuscan1969]

Its all a cunning plan by Ron to drag the team down and then buy out the other shareholders at a bargain price before magically reviving the team by flicking the "secret power boost" switch he has hidden on the Honda engines....

 

[Il_leone]

Tuscan1969 They are more likely to force Ron out if anything because he only owns 15% . The Bahraini's do not need to sell and Oojeh will hang around

Ron really has to get Mclaren back to the glory days by the time Alonso finishes his contract or he will be out and the sooner the better it seems to me the way he is dragging the team down

 

[F1Brits_90]

just reading on sky sports about how the new honda chief Yasuhisa Arai says Honda say they will focus on delivering more power during the 2nd half of the season as they are now happy with the reliability of their engine as i quote "The reliability is almost fixed, but everyday there are small problems that pop up, but our main concern was to finish. Now we turn to the power side to get more competitiveness."

i dont know how he or the reporter kept a straight face while talking about how he happy with honda reliability despite the numerous engines problems, 50 place grid drops & button barely making it 10 laps in austria

 

[teabagyokel]

Stoff Vandoorne drove it for more than a race in Austria, but it could well have been an ART, cunningly disguised.

 

[Il_leone]

F1Brits_90 Mr Arai - Did Ron Dennis explain to him what was expected first season at Mclaren because they have delivered on engine which has completely failed to be either

i) Reliable
ii) Powerful
iii) Fuel efficient

So what was going on last year they had to prepare

 

[Il_leone]

interesting development with Vandoorn parting with his management team

Button, GP2 leader Vandoorne, Bottas, Hulkenburg ready for Formula One musical chairs

 

[FB]

Having been penalised for using a 5th engine the FIA changed the rules to allow a fifth unit and now McLaren will be penalised again for using a sixth...

Honda to seek FIA clarification over 'free' engine

 

[Il_leone]

Jenson Button says 'not a given' he will still be in F1 in 2016

 

[Il_leone]

FB

What happened to the reliability that Arai -sama was satisfied with

 

[Titch]

Jenson Button says 'not a given' he will still be in F1 in 2016

What as ,a test driver?

 

[FB]

Ron must have a queue of drivers waiting to drive their 2016 shit box.

 

[Il_leone]

Titch It just means its not guaranteed he will stay at Mclaren or be elsewhere in F1 . A sub plot is Vandoorn who use to be managed by his manager Richie Goddard has just parted company with him .

Given the way Vandoorn been performing in GP2 it seems there will be a push from Ron to get him into F1

If Jenson is not with Mclaren I hope he goes back to Williams for one hurrah

 

[Andyoak]

And give them a WDC / WCC...
It's good to dream

 

[Grizzly]

This weekend McLaren will install two new penalty free engines following the FIA's concession to allow a 5th. Wise decision or not? I hope and suspect yes, since power deficit is slightly less relevant in Hungary and their amazing chassis will have a chance to shine (tongue in cheek). Without breakdowns and without much prospect for improvement to the PU this year, we might see their best result for the whole year, since its entirely likely they will be back to the endless penalties and pit lane starts after the summer break.

 

[RasputinLives]

I think Hungary will see Mclaren looking better than before for the reason you've said but I can't see them scoring higher than the 8th Button got at Monaco without a pile up somewhere.

 

[Il_leone]

is there rain in Hungary or not ?