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]

teabagyokel Renault's problem was Red Bull were claiming all the glory for themselves for the successes in 2010-2013 and first sign of problems Red Bull just kept publicly attacking them

I thought Red Bull were way out of order .

The problem with Mclaren was Ron Dennis - the way he wrestled control through a coup and basically sacked Whitmarsh and promised that Mclaren would return to the glory days. The problems have just kept increased ever since but Honda just won;t change their ways

- two things which are obvious to do but not done

i) Provide engines to a second team at a cheaper price - but Mclaren were scared if it was Toro Rosso which then was bolted to Red Bull and was competitive would make them stupid

ii) Locate the engine building in Europe and get the available engineers to do so most of them are based in Britain within close proximity of the racing team . The fact their European base in Milton Keynes it makes sense to move the engine building there bt again the worry is Red Bull might poach some of those engineers

Honda's struggles might make it difficult for say VW or another manufacturer to join F1 before 2021.

I am sure with Renault engines Mclaren will vault up to top 5 teams

 

[siffert_fan]

Imagine how fast the McLaren could be if FA could run without the 50kg of ego he packs into the car!

 

[The Pits]

I think that the best they can hope for is a move up the grid, to challenge with Red Bull for the best of the alsorans. I agree that winning as a customer is unlikely, but so is winning with Honda, and I do not believe that any new manufacturer coming in now would be able to match let alone beat Mercedes power.

At least with Renault, there is a little ray of light in that they would move up the development curve a bit, and maybe challenge for podiums at circuits like Monaco and Hungary, rather than simply hoping to finish in the points.

 

[RasputinLives]

The problem Mclaren have by going to Renault is that there is a Renault works team and therefore as the engine improves the best ones will go to Renault and that team will be the one that goes to the front. It's the same issue all the other teams have. Red Bull are aware of this and have been trying to find a solution for years. Torro Rosso taking Honda engines is them testing the waters and, unlike Mclaren, they have the luxury of using a junior team to do the embarrassing development period. As soon as Honda are up to speed then they will be in those Red Bulls and they will be the works team.

Mclaren appear to have slogged through 3 years of it and are jumping ship now to keep Fernando Alonso. I can't help but think this is a mistake. It might be another couple of years but Honda will get there. By taking on Renault engines they just resigned themselves to 4th or 5th best team on the grid permanently. Look what's happened to Williams.

 

[Bill Boddy]

From their relative performances I would guess that Red Bull have the same engine as Renault and that McLaren would not sign up with anything less. Of course, it is always possible that Red Bull don't have the same engines as the factory team but that would mean that the Renault chassis must be on the same level as Sauber at best.

 

[Rutherford]

How long will Alonso be around and how long could Honda potentially be around. I'm no business man, but I'd rather deal with a humble ambitious Japanese company than with [insert adjectives] Alonso.

 

[F1Brits_90]

for me this is a lot like a situation I had at Sheffield united under Nigel Adkins, we appointed him expecting great things & we all had patience at the start & we had many times were we thought we had turned a corner play very well, then we would have a disaster now like mclaren. every person wants it to work & you can see everyone is giving 100%, there is improvements & that this would all come together in the future & be a success but it was just too slow. but there unfortunately at the end of the season we had 1 last defeat too many, it became best for all parties to cut your losses & part ways.

that's the same way with McLaren, no one can complain at McLaren they given 3 years to Honda & unfortunately its just a necessity because look at vandoorne 8th on the grid yesterday but yet another problem costs him. Alonso had for a 2nd race in a row run without regen & 160 hp down. yes they have 60m from Honda but in net money how much have they lost in constructors payments by being 9th 6th & currently 9th. for me McLaren would be as high up as challenging red bull in qualifying 3rd in constructors

 

[RasputinLives]

McLaren would not sign up with anything less.

As Renault aren't really keen on supplying Mclaren anyway and are doing it because they have too I Don't think they have much in the way of bargaining power.

 

[Galahad]

Even if they had engine parity, they'd struggle to build a Red Bull-beating chassis with a Williams level of budget. Particularly when Alonso is probably being paid more than Ricciardo and Verstappen combined.

There are no easy options here, but the Honda money is massive.

 

[Rutherford]

Parting from Honda will result in a larger monetary loss, if McLaren then choose Renault or any other manufacturer to become engine suppliers, because they'll have to pay for the engines and at no stage is it guaranteed that McLaren will have the best chassis to move up the ranks. McLaren also lack sponsorship and they have done since Vodafone left, since years we've been hearing rumours and promises that there will be new sponsorship on the car, but it's nothing that visible, i.e. paying the bills.
They only finished 30 points ahead of Force India, who were in P6, in 2014 despite having the most powerful engine on the grid. Mercedes, Red Bull, Williams and Ferrari were ahead of them by a considerable margin.
The consideration of a switch to a Renault PU seems like a knee-jerk reaction since Alonso, according to the press which Alonso has denied, threatened the team of leaving should McLaren and Honda part ways.

Alonso is bigger than the team, a situation which is unacceptable. If I were team boss or engine partner, I would have told him to shut up or f**k off.
It can't be denied that he is a brilliant driver, but there are others, especially young talents, and Vandoorne has finally found his pace since the car has become more reliable, who would jump in the car just to get their foot in the door.
Alonso brings an extremely negative attitude to a team, as soon as things don't go his way; he never believed in Ferrari either which is why never had great success there and why he ultimately left for McLaren.
It's strange that things seem to be running a lot smoother at Ferrari since Vettel joined; a lot less talk, more hard work.

My verdict: Give the wildcat the boot; stay with Honda and enjoy peaceful and more successful future!

 

[Il_leone]

Rutherford the issue for Mclaren if another star driver was available to drive for less money ie Button then it might not have been an issue but how else can you convince sponsors to line up and back Mclaren

Mclaren are clutching on straws to the last bits of their glory days. Yes Alonso can be a **** but I think the car would barely be able to make it into q2 without him at the wheel

The situation with Renault who are making grounds no doubt but their chassis does not appear to be as good as Mclaren's or Red Bull so inadvertently they would have had another team fighting with them in the midfield which is tightly contested which is why they are not too keen to supply another team

Galahad Honda's money is massive because it pays Alonso's wages but the Mclaren owners are not strapped for cash but actually very rich for a start.

Japan is going to be very interesting / amusing/ entering / galling whatever word you want to put in

 

[RasputinLives]

Yes Alonso can be a **** but I think the car would barely be able to make it into q2 without him at the wheel

I suggest you do back and look at Vandoorne's recent qualifying record.

 

[Il_leone]

Until recently I forgot to add

 

[RasputinLives]

When he retired on Sunday Vandorne was 10 seconds clear of Alonso. He was quicker than him in Spa as well. The 'Mclaren would be nowhere without Alonso' argument is wearing thin. I accept the fact that it's likely that both Fernando and Stoffel are driving the wheels off the thing - but if Vandorne has shown he can do it (even if it's not consistently yet), and is far less high maintenance than Alonso, surely Mclaren have to stop and think whether it's worth mapping their entire team and future round Fernando.

 

[Il_leone]

RasputinLives Yes they have Vandoorne and Norris to build a future on and it would save the team a lot of money not paying his wages

Its a bit ironic that Honda desired a world champion driver at Mclaren to show their commitment and intent when they came back only to produce what can be described as a turd and having Alonso snapping at them. Does Alonso's whining damage sponsors and brands even though it is evident to see who is the weakest link

 

[Andyoak]

At 36 is he at the peak of his talent or cashing in past glories?

McLaren AND Honda need(ed) a top quality development driver; I'm not convinced Fernando was the man for the job.

He may be fast but he's high maintenance; and his constant public abuse of the team and Honda must be demotivating.

I still think they should stick with Honda and drop Fernando: But they won't.

 

[Il_leone]

The problem it seems to be with the current relationship Honda seems to want to do things their own way and then come out and get themselves humilated and not wanting to change

I just don't understand how they messed up on the engine side having made the steps forward last season. It just appears that Honda are not letting Mclaren get close to make an impact. Its almost like they have been given freedom to manage themselves but failed to deliver the results each time

 

[siffert_fan]

Il_leone

How can Alonso be a help in attracting sponsorship when he is constantly berating the team?

 

[F1Brits_90]

i might be stating the obvious here. but i have the feeling that liberty media have quite a big hand in this deal as they know that Alonso & Vandoorne are 2 very good drivers wasted if mclaren chassis is as good as we think then thats 4 teams challenging for a podium. & a competive alonso v verstappen does make me excited

 

[vintly]

All this talk of the McLaren having a good chassis is bunk if it's just talk. There's zero hard evidence, and although it may very well be a decent chassis, it's unlikely to be very, very good as it's never had the chance to have evolved to that, from a proven starting point of simply very good. Until there's some grunt under it, it's just talk. My hunch is that McLaren are still years away from becoming challengers, and a few podiums is as good as they'll get until then.