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.)

 

[F1Brits_90]

Someone lying Apparently Honda motorsport boss Yasuhisa Arai has said the power unit 30hp ahead of Renault alonso says mclaren got great chassis inclined to believe mclaren As with mclarens budget I highly doubt they'd make 9th best chassis on grid & only slightly better than manor

 

[Grizzly]

I think Mr Arai said 'engine' which leaves it deliberately open to misinterpretation IMO. As far as I'm aware the Honda engines power output is on par or close to its competitors, it falls flat on it's face when you add in the hybrid systems, however.

 

[Il_leone]

well Eric Bouillier seems to admit that the hybrid system is not very good in the Honda engine

------------------

They point to Mercedes taking 4 years to get it right

It is not acceptable Honda's current performance

 

[Il_leone]

well just to show Mclaren's inadequacy under Ron Dennis

Apparently Johnnie Walker will end its sponsorship with them having offered £43m back in 2013 to be title sponsor

Also going will be Santander despite Alonso being aboard and looks like they prefer to back a winning horse and go with Ferrari


So that is a loss of £20m and due to the poor performance the team is showing at the moment and again the rumours go around that Button is going to be dropped

Although Bouillier thinks Mclaren can retain both drivers as well as put Magnussen and Van Doorn on the grid as well

 

[Il_leone]

BBC Sport - Italian GP: Fernando Alonso reveals Honda weaknesses

On a circuit where power is key Alonso points out where the time is being lost and most of it is on the straights - so this is a response to Arai san where the problem lies - the HOnda engine not the chassis

 

[FB]

The car looked a bit of a handful round Parabolica so I don't think it's all the engine.

 

[Il_leone]

FB Not all engine but a majority of it seeing the circuit has only 6 corners punctuated by straights

 

[Galahad]

I thought Alonso, at least, was running with very little vertical chord on the rear wing, which might explain it.

 

[FB]

Honda have finally admitted that it might be the engine (or the hybrid system at least) that's the problem. I wonder how much it will compromise the aero of the 2016 McLaren.

Honda eyes power unit layout change for 2016

 

[Il_leone]

FB At bloody well long last I am surprised it took them long enough to realise from the all the data they have and refocus their efforts on it

Not sure how much time Arai-san has in his position because I am sure its getting thin and when they get to Suzuka . How will he expect his bosses to react that they are going to be very poor on their home track

 

[Il_leone]

F1 news: Honda F1 chief Yasuhisa Arai refuses to apologise for performance

Sorry but Arai-san does someone need to put his head on a chopping block or something . I would expect Honda to be apologetical about letting down Mclaren

Oh well I guess we will have to wait for Suzuka when the bosses are there and everyone can see for themselves how far behind Honda power is

 

[Lewywo4]

It's rather disgusting to see drivers with the skills of Alonso and Button, competing only with back markers.

 

[Titch]

And very sad. Both are doing really well in the dignity stakes though. My estimation of both drivers is very high at the moment.

 

[Il_leone]

F1 news: Jenson Button wants quick 2016 F1 decision from McLaren-Honda

Button is right though the stupidity over the driver pairing last season cost the team dearly allowing them to get to work with Honda quickly

 

[Il_leone]

Looks like Mclaren share my thinking that Arai-san is proving a real liability and have turned up the ante on Honda to do something

McLaren wants Honda to sack Arai? > F1 News > Grandprix.com

Honda at WAR: McLaren call for sacking of engine boss Yasuhisa Arai

 

[Dash Racing]

Sack him? They're nicer than me. In their position, I'd hand him a sword, and tell him he's black bellied. Only two ways out of that. Admit you're black bellied, or prove otherwise.

 

[Il_leone]

F1 news: McLaren keeping Button in F1 would be 'a good thing' - Alonso

 

[Titch]

I'm not sure that I take that statement at face value.

 

[Bill Boddy]

Why not?

 

[RasputinLives]

Because it Alonso the king of the media mind games?