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.)

 

[Il_leone]

Well some rivals have said they would never do what Alonso did and miss a grand prix but then none of them are in Alonso's (and Mclaren's ) situation to understand the rationale

Yes Alonso drove magnificently last year to get 5th but he is not paid to finish 5th

 

[Rutherford]

Driving the McLaren is a waste of time and energy, at least he is doing something worth the effort now.

 

[vintly]

Never been an Alonso fan but I'm interested to see how he gets on in the Indy 500. Get in there, show 'em how it's done. Maybe.

 

[F1Brits_90]

Very good press conference earlier not for magnussen or palmer as they might as well have brought a book haha, as some fascinating answers from alonso about his motorsport triple crown ambitions & all but setting a date for competing at le mans in 2018 or 2019 because he cant be a 8x world champion. So let's make some different history. I think Alonso has a decent chance because he is world class & my opinion in 1 of the top 5 F1 drivers of the millennium But it can be very strategy based, also pack racing & especially G forces is whole new ball games, it will be tough because it will be like going thru 130r twice a lap every 50 secs for 200 laps

But it would be great in future to see f1 drivers following in Hulkenberg steps racing in other series because that did F1 image & Hulkenberg reputation a world of good. imagine Hamilton, Button, Riccardio, Vettel, Verstappen or Kimi at Le Mans or others like even Bathurst now that would be exciting.

 

[The Pits]

Well, with the fanfare around Alonso to Indy and the lovely boy back in the cockpit for Monaco, i am fully expecting both to be a massive anticlimax, completely failing to live up to the hype.

 

[Incubus]

Button's been confirmed for Monaco:

McLaren F1 team calls up Button to replace Alonso for Monaco GP

 

[The Artist.....]

*Smug*

 

[RasputinLives]

The Artist..... how is that any different from you normally?

 

[FB]

The Sky team were discussing Button's comeback with Eric Boullier and "how he would cope with all power, downforce and wider track" of the 2017 cars. If they're that worried about it why don't they ask Alain Prost to drive the bloody thing?

 

[marksawatsky]

Imagine how Alonso would feel if by some freak thing, Button wins Monaco

 

[gethinceri]

It will happen, it will not be some freak thing.

 

[Titch]

Button must be bonkers.

 

[Il_leone]

You know I think Button will do well because he has been preparing as though he was competing for 2017 and these cars seem to punish drivers who really overpush and go off

Button never looks a driver he is putting in more effort than he should be and Monaco is a place where driver mistakes may be more apparent with the new cars if you get it wrong off line

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

Part of the reason why F1 drivers can't compete in other series

i) Bernie wants to make F1 the pinnacle of motorsport - hence set a race date so no driver can skip for Le Mans 24 hours
ii) Drivers are employed by F1 teams and sponsors to compete in F1. They aint gonna to be risked doing other series and getting themselves injured to miss races and upset sponsors unless it is part of their sponsors agreement. Some of these drivers are paid millions

Remember Kubica doing rallying

 

[F1Brits_90]

DNS & DNF, i think if Mclaren are still like this by Singapore/Malaysia. Honda will be dropped

 

[RasputinLives]

Did Alonso run out of fuel in the race today? Was suggested he was ignoring requests to save fuel.

 

[Road of Bones]

Why bother saving fuel if you're just going to be dog slow anyway? I can see Alonso's point, frankly...

 

[RasputinLives]

Well it's the difference between finishing the race in front of you sponsors and getting the team in front of Sauber in the constructors championship or having another two DNFs.

 

[Road of Bones]

Hmm, I'm pretty sure those things are nowhere near the top of Fernando's priorities

 

[Il_leone]

" I've never raced with less power!" Ouch !

A PR disaster for HOnda and Mclaren that they managed to lose 3 MGUHs..

Not sure how long Alonso can be driving at the back and might decide to leave the team before the season ends if he can secure a seat at another team....Renault possibly but not sure if the bosses have not forgiven him for using them to angling a seat at Ferrari and his past association with Briatore might stop them

Button might have to drive for more than 1 race but even he does not want to drive what is a "dump truck" and "pile of junk"at the moment

 

[Bill Boddy]

The worst thing is that Honda do not know the cause(s) of the MGU-H problems.

"... .questions and answers elicited little information other than that Honda does not know the cause of the MGU-H failures".

'Mercedes face pressure to back Lewis Hamilton after Bahrain Grand Prix'