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]

McLaren have published an article on their web page concerning the 1988 Italian GP, which roundly dismisses the rumour that Prost during the race kept racing Senna despite knowing his engine would soon expire in order to force the brazilian into using up too much fuel.

To e honest it never sounded believable to me (how could he have possibly pushed Senna so hard on five cylinders on Monza' s long straights?...) because we certainly never heard anything about this at the time. Seems to have been one of those fanciful theories that over-imaginative journalists concoct and everybody else jumps on the bandwagon.

McLaren Formula 1 - Monza 1988: The one that got away

 

[gethinceri]

I stopped reading at the part that states "the story infers".
Clearly not written or proof read by Ron so evidently the entire article is bollocks.

 

[Incubus]

You stopped reading halfway through a link POSTED BY ME on one of MY posts??!!!

Right. I'm offended now. And I'm sulking.

 

[teabagyokel]

This was, of course, before their "lovely boy" recruitment policy.

 

[siffert_fan]

Apple linked with McLaren takeover

 

[cider_and_toast]

Oh joy. Which means the new cars will look all shiney, be launched with a load of pointless gimmicks that won't work and ultimately prove an expensive failure that needs to be replaced every 12 months to keep up with the competition.

Oh, hang on, there will be no difference.

 

[Titch]

Shiny White, with apples all over. Cool.

 

[siffert_fan]

Imagine how exciting it could be if it were Samsung rather than Apple: the cars could catch on fire or explode for no reason!!

 

[Incubus]

Haven't McLaren already come out to deny the existence of any talks between themselves and Apple?

 

[Bill Boddy]

Yes, but rumours are much more interesting than boring old facts.

 

[Il_leone]

I thought this story was rubbish but now come to think of it

Both pride itself in innovation of technology in being the best
Both don't like sharing resources with competitors

Certainly this will be an interesting one

 

[Bill Boddy]

Despite your reasoning McLaren deny that there is any truth in it.

 

[FB]

Ron Dennis seems to forget that he is the custodian of the McLaren name, not the owner. He may have built McLaren International into the company it is today but at its heart it is the F1 team founded by Bruce McLaren and then run Teddy Mayer in Bruce's memory.

Anyone thinking of investing or taking the team over should look very carefully at the team's heritage. Unfortunately I suspect they won't give a flying ****.

 

[cider_and_toast]

Yeah, just like the Team Lotus name was carefully and respectfully rejuvenated by two warring Malaysian business men.



As you said FB, they won't give the furry crack of a rats arse about the heritage aspect.

 

[RasputinLives]

Well the iMclaren Honda sounds good to me.

 

[The Pits]

Although it would mean that they could not run on the same track as the other cars.

 

[RasputinLives]

The wheel guns would be slightly different shapes so they didn't fit the normal wheels and they had to get special apple ones.

 

[The Pits]

And they would change every race.

 

[Il_leone]

Well at least as long as they don't have quality control issues where they can't get any signals over the radio or the products are not as sturdy as they should be

Then its great for F1

 

[Il_leone]

Only problem I see neither want to give up their name so an Apple Honda !