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.)

 

[RasputinLives]

Are they currently providing technology for Force India?

 

[landogeorgelewis1]

Yeah they are, this link i've just found rests my fears that they'd be left to hang out and dry after the Marussia deal:
http://www.crash.net/f1/news/166412...ren_deal_confirms_new_technical_director.html

 

[RasputinLives]

Oh. I always thought that FI were more in bed with Merc than Mclaren these days.

 

[landogeorgelewis1]

Well i knew they'd been a deal back in the end of 2008 for a 3 year deal but was concerned for next season. Wonder if one day we'll see a certian Scotish Force India driver in a Mclaren .

 

[RasputinLives]

We'll see him in a Merc and actually by that time I think he'll be better off for being in that Silver Arrow rather than the one you'd like to see him in

 

[ExtremeNinja]

So if Mclaren are providing technology for both Virgin, does that mean they'll still be be providing it for Force India aswell?

Hmm, not sure. Are Force India not more closely linked with Mercedes since they loosened ties with McLaren?

 

[FB]

They will (as far as I'm aware) but I think the relationship is different. Mclaren supply FI with their hydraulic system and transmission. Virgin will be use the Mclaren CFD and aerodynamic set up.

 

[The Artist.....]

They will (as far as I'm aware) but I think the relationship is different. Mclaren supply FI with their hydraulic system and transmission. Virgin will be use the Mclaren CFD and aerodynamic set up.

Am I right in saying that McLaren also give Virgin the use of their wind-tunnel? (Or have I imagined that one?)

 

[Josh]

Am I right in saying that McLaren also give Virgin the use of their wind-tunnel? (Or have I imagined that one?)

Yeah, you're right. They can also use their driver simulators and test rigs.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/formula_one/14013831.stm

 

[The Artist.....]

Interestingly, that means that Manor Virgin Marussia have a state of the art CFD facility and have access to a top rated wind-tunnel....

If they don't start to get closer to the front, they will have no excuses now!

 

[RasputinLives]

Do you think they'll know how to use them though? I mean up to now the most advanced equiptment they've been doing all their design work on an Amiga 1200 with the built in disc drive.

 

[The Artist.....]

Now now, that's hardly fair... I understood it was the Sinclair ZX81!!!

But seriously, Wirth Research had fairly spectacular computing power, but the only thing lacking was that they needed to gain a correlation with what would happen in reality, and the only way they had of doing that was to run it on track!

From what I understand, a CFD simulation can suggest a 2 second/lap increase in pace, when this is moved to the wind-tunnel, it often is reduced to 0.5 seconds, and when moved to the track, 0.1 seconds - all due to the lack of perfect modelling.....

 

[landogeorgelewis1]

Give me a M
Give me a C
Give me a L
Give me a A
Give me a R
Give me a E
Give me a N

What does it spell? My favourite F1 team ever Mclaren .

Random i know but thats me i guess .

 

[Slyboogy]

Talk about random Coach!

Might just go to the Toro Rosso thread and do that!

 

[Cookinflatsix]

Give me an M
Give me a C
Give me an L
Give me an A
Give me a R
Give me an E
Give me an N

What does it spell? My favourite F1 team ever Mclaren .

Random i know but thats me i guess .

Apologies, but I just had to fix that for you (my Favourite team also)

 

[landogeorgelewis1]

Apologies, but I just had to fix that for you (my Favourite team also)

Haha cheers buddy . Got a bit carried away .

 

[Fenderman]

It must have been all that excitement!

I dunno. You young people have so much energy and enthusiasm. Me, I've been asleep ever since Abu Dhabi.

 

[Slyboogy]

It must have been all that excitement!

I dunno. You young people have so much energy and enthusiasm. Me, I've been asleep ever since Abu Dhabi.

You need to go to the....ehm...not the 'Club'...eh...the DISCO! Once in a while! Get that Afro boogying!

 

[F1ang-o]

Good to see Ron Dennis in the McL. garage for Brazilian GP
Dave Ryan is also at Interlagos in the Renault? garage.
It's about two & a half years since these two left McL. GP team.

 

[racecub]

Good to see Ron Dennis in the McL. garage for Brazilian GP
Dave Ryan is also at Interlagos in the Renault? garage.
It's about two & a half years since these two left McL. GP team.

Yes soooo good to see Ron there again!