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.)

 

[Incubus]

Well looking at the testing line-up so far it seems half the teams are giving their reserve driver a crack behind the wheel. The test is only over two days so why the fact Alonso, who never been particularly noted for going AWOL on testing days, not taking part should even be viewed with any kind of significance is pretty baffling to put it mildly...

 

[TR]

Moreover, half of the in season testing days MUST be given to inexperienced drivers (<3 GPs driven)...

 

[Incubus]

it seems half the teams are giving their reserve driver a crack behind the wheel.

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

Now if half the teams were to give their reserve drivers some crack behind the wheel, well THAT would definitely more newsworthy!

 

[cider_and_toast]

Incubus, I started this element of the discussion because while I accept it's not particularly noteworthy who each team runs, I was wondering why (I presume it's an open door test) Alonso wasn't running in a Spanish based test given that it would be good stuff for the corporate sponsorship side of McLaren.

Just wondering that's all.

 

[RasputinLives]

I still think cider_and_toast 's query as to why Button is being used for the full test rather than Alonso is a valid one. Alonso is suppose to be the king of development and that's what McLaren need. I think that's what cider_and_toast was asking before this got turned into a "Stop having a go at Alonso" debate.

I still say its down to the injuries but its a guess.

 

[Olivier]

McLaren upping the ante:

New floor, wings and bodywork for McLaren at Spanish GP

 

[Kewee]

cider_and_toast
RasputinLives

Button and Alonso are both very good development drivers. I agree with you Ras, this is a perfect opportunity to give Alonso some more recovery time before the intensity of the European season.

 

[gethinceri]

Alonso's more interested in watching the Giro d'Italia?

 

[Kewee]

Alonso's more interested in watching the Giro d'Italia?

 

[FB]

Monaco GP: McLaren will take title from Mercedes, says Ron Dennis

 

[The Pits]

He has already purchased his anthracite cranial carapace, in anticipation of an excursion to the conurbation of Brackley to participate in a degree of recidivism.

 

[Kewee]

Monaco GP: McLaren will take title from Mercedes, says Ron Dennis

Very misleading headline. I've just read the article and Ron Dennis was referring to what he believed McLaren will achieve further on, particularly when the new design regulations come into play in 2017. They do expect to be more competitive at Monaco but the only link to Monaco I could find was that was where the interview with Ron Dennis took place. He certainly wasn't suggesting McLaren will beat Mercedes this weekend.

 

[FB]

You should listen to the interview Kewee, he sound positively delusional.

 

[The Pits]

maybe he's been on the Kewee optimism juice!!

 

[Kewee]

You should listen to the interview Kewee, he sound positively delusional.

Will do FB sounds like I missed something.

 

[Kewee]

The Pits .... My optimism tells me McLaren will come good.

 

[Galahad]

Sounds like a message to rally the troops. By all accounts losing pains RD deeply, so ridicule is nothing to be scared of.

 

[FB]

I never realised Ron was Prince Charming

 

[The Pits]

well, he certainly seems Adam Ant that the team is going the right way!!

 

[teabagyokel]

Time to stand and deliver.