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]

I've had a long held belief that McLaren have proved to be the epitome of that law.

 

[FB]

Not sure if any of you noticed the "Innovation is Great" logo on the McLaren rear wing in Mexico. I case you did and wondered what the hell it's about, it's being paid for by UK tax payers.

New 'Innovation is GREAT' partnership with McLaren - News stories - GOV.UK

 

[Incubus]

Right. So... what do they actually do then apart from "highlighting" technology?...

What a total load of cojones...

 

[rufus_mcdufus]

And why did they choose the McLaren to put it on?

 

[Bill Boddy]

McLaren were the only team not to have anything on their rear wing so the government got it cheap?

 

[teabagyokel]

If the West Ham stadium deal is anything to go by, they got it cheap but then paid triple the price to covert into a rear wing compatible design.

 

[The Pits]

Well, it looks like Ron Dennis is proper fucked!

 

[gethinceri]

Unless you can lend him a few quid!

 

[Il_leone]

Ron Dennis: McLaren chairman fails with High Court bid

This is getting seriously nasty at Mclaren to force Ron to go

Ron Dennis fighting for McLaren future

Ron's counter bid to not go

I can see the reasons for going with a Chinese consortium
i) They have the money to match the middle Eastern owners

ii) It would attract a lot of coverage and sponsors from China which is a huge plus

the big problem he would have to deal with

Honda - a proud Japanese car manufacturer might find it awkward they are working with potential Chinese owners

- there is still a lot of political tension between Japan and China recently that stirred up from feelings the Second World War. I would think it be deemed as disloyal to the country should Honda be having to work the consortium

 

[vintly]

I agree with you The Pits - 75% vs 25% looks terminal. Ouch.

 

[Il_leone]

There are stories suggesting Ron will leave his post or be put on garden leave from his next week
Ron Dennis set to be ousted from McLaren Group next week

If you remember it was Ron Dennis who ousted Martin Whitmarsh through a coup so maybe it is a case of " What comes around goes around !"

 

[vintly]

Whitmarsh had the gravitas of a panto horse and deserved to be pushed out. But whether Ron deserves it or not is immaterial - he's on the receiving end of a bigger push than he can muster, or so it seems.

I've always enjoyed listening to Ron Dennis and will greatly miss his presence in F1.

 

[FB]

I don't get this "coup" thing about Whitmarsh. RD was still CEO of McLaren group, Martin Whitmarsh ran the racing team. MW did a bad job, Ron sacked him. No conspiracy, no coup, simply the man in charge sacking an employee.

 

[Il_leone]

FB

It has been labelled as a coup and Ron took advantage when Oojeh was on sick leave trying to cite that he will probably not be able to devote time to the role as one of the shareholders and Mclaren need a strong leader and direction so Ron decided to take matters in his own hands without consulting Oojeh like he did previously

Whitmarsh was actually CEO and Team Principal before Ron took away his role and he can only do that with backing of his other shareholders so it would be described as a coup

Judging by how far back they've had to start with Honda then it has not been a great revival like he promised and it maybe under his stewardship he is actually holding Mclaren back

Ron has taken Mclaren to their lowest ever position in the constructors championship and their longest run without a podium so hardly the legacy he wants to leave

vintly Whitmarsh is less of a panto horse than say Christian Horner. Whitmarsh was pushed out because he gave Mclaren one winless season when you consider Ron Dennis had 3 seasons winless with Mclaren from 1994-1996 and was not pushed out - the only thing he lost was the backing of Marlboro

 

[vintly]

Il_leone my comment was harsh admittedly, but I was referring to his gravitas in comparison to Ron's. He lacked it, Ron doesn't, and neither does Horner - just my opinion. Whitmarsh didn't have the confidence of the board so he had to go - it's not just about wins.

 

[The Pits]

Wasnt Martin the CEO of McLaren racing, and coo of the parent company? Mh understanding was that hd was removed when Mansour Ojjeh was out of action, and Ron took advantage of that. Now it appears that is coming to bite hkm, amongst other things. I mean he has hardly set the world on fire himself in the last few years.

 

[Il_leone]

The Pits that is what I 've checked Whitmarsh ws team principal and CEO of the company... Ron Dennis was chairman but had no involvement with the F1 team. What would you describe Whitmarsh being ousted hastily by ROn Dennis when one of your other shareholders was on sick leave who would have been able to have a say on the matter?

Definitely not a democracy

 

[Il_leone]

vintly The board consisting mainly of Ron Dennis, Mansoor Oojeh and the Bahraini shareholders. Ron Dennis actually took advantage that Oojeh was on sick leave and force the change through when normally the three of them have to agree

You can't say Ron has lead Mclaren back to the glory days like he promised

 

[vintly]

I didn't say that Il_leone, but you may not be implying that I did, I can't tell. And Ron clearly hasn't led McLaren back. It's odd how they've failed with their seemingly infinite resources, and how they've managed to field a car that sounds different to everyone else's for many years.

 

[Il_leone]

Eddie Jordan first mentioned it a while back that maybe there should be questions about Mclaren under Ron's stewardship since his return? How on earth did Honda produce such a pathetic engine on their return when they had the best part over a year to prepare some of that has to fall with Ron Dennis