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.)

 

[Brogan]

McLaren are looking to replace Hamilton after next year.

Well, not quite, but you just know how this story is going to be manipulated by some of the press...

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/96574

It does seem a bit of a contrast to this article though: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/formula_one/15928246.stm

 

[FB]

I think both Lewis and Mclaren would be best waiting a while. If the engineers at Woking produce another pup (relatively speaking) and end up behind Red Bull and **shudder** Ferrari, Lewis would be better off plying his trade elsewhere.

 

[cider_and_toast]

The trouble is where to go?

Ferrari? and face Alonso again? can't see either driver, or Ferrari, wanting that?
Red Bull? Maybe but it depends on Vettel. Would Vettel stand for Hamilton as a team mate?
Merc? It would be a great signing for them and working with Rosberg is not an issue but can they build a car to match Hamiltons expectation?

Beyond that, there is nowhere else for him to go.

I agree with FB that a lot will depend on how he feels winter testing, and even the first races of next year go, before looking to the future.

 

[RasputinLives]

Merc? It would be a great signing for them and working with Rosberg is not an issue but can they build a car to match Hamiltons expectation?

I doubt Rosberg would like that at all. In fact I'd go as far to say that if Merc signed Hamilton then Nico would be off - probably to Mclaren.

 

[Road of Bones]

Cripes - the 2013 silly season's started rather early hasn't it?

Anyway - he'll do a "reverse Senna", and join Kimi at Lotus in 2013 (who'll be title contenders, disproving all those who reckon the Kimster can't develop a car & team)...

(meanwhile Jenson will guide McLaren to their first WDC & WCC double since 1998...)

 

[The Artist.....]

Sorry if this has been answered already, but I was mighty surprised to see Hamilton in the (Non-silver) alternative race-suit on Sunday - whilst JB was in the normal silver suit.... Anyone any ideas why?
http://twitter.com/#!/TheFifthDriver/status/140413989535494145/photo/1/large

 

[Viscount]

Sorry if this has been answered already, but I was mighty surprised to see Hamilton in the (Non-silver) alternative race-suit on Sunday - whilst JB was in the normal silver suit.... Anyone any ideas why?
http://twitter.com/#!/TheFifthDriver/status/140413989535494145/photo/1/large

The McLaren drivers have been wearing different fan designed overalls just on Saturday's at each Grand Prix this year, but for the final race each driver wore one of the previous overalls for the entire race weekend.

http://twitter.com/#!/TheFifthDriver/status/139419786839986176/photo/1

http://twitter.com/#!/TheFifthDriver/status/139420304048001025/photo/1

 

[The Artist.....]

Thanks! I knew there had to be a good reason - I was just too lazy to research it myself!

 

[cider_and_toast]

I doubt Rosberg would like that at all. In fact I'd go as far to say that if Merc signed Hamilton then Nico would be off - probably to Mclaren.

I agree Ras, I meant that Nico and Hamilton could work together on a personal level weather Nico would want him as a team mate is another question.

 

[Il_leone]

I agree Ras, I meant that Nico and Hamilton could work together on a personal level weather Nico would want him as a team mate is another question.

Nico got beaten by Lewis in karts driving for Nico's dad . THey are very good friends but I think Nico feels he needs to prove himself that he is capable front runner. .. Mercedes will not sign Hamilton because they insist on having German drivers and wanting a German world champion and there are spoilt for choice at the moment

The only person who they may consider is DI Resta because he is contracted to them
As someone has said Nico would swap with Lewis if Mercedes want Lewis which I don;t see happening yet

Lewis knows Webber is on a 1 year deal so is eyeing they seat at Red Bull..the fact that Helmut praised him is another sign he rates him

 

[Bill Boddy]

When I got to the part in the Autosport article where it said that Hamilton and Horner held secret talks I gave up. Everyone knew that they had met, they even talked to the press about them.

 

[Il_leone]

When I got to the part in the Autosport article where it said that Hamilton and Horner held secret talks I gave up. Everyone knew that they had met, they even talked to the press about them.

Yeah it was not exactly meeting up for a quick drink or tea break was it ?

When I got to the part in the Autosport article where it said that Hamilton and Horner held secret talks I gave up. Everyone knew that they had met, they even talked to the press about them.

Well Lewis did diss Red Bull saying who wants to drive for a drinks company before that meeting .

 

[Jen]

It comes to pretty pass when you have, literally, nowhere to go to improve your prospects.

 

[racecub]

Im sure he has plenty of options and he's got a year to consider them. I certainly wouldnt rush into resigning with McLaren , he has nothing to gain from doing that.

 

[Viscount]

Well considering that Mercedes first tried to sign Button, I'm pretty sure they'd be willing to break up the all-German lineup if Hamilton or any of the top drivers were available.

In regards to his meeting with Red Bull at Montreal I believe that was just to purposefully annoy McLaren after he connected with his teammate and they forced him to immediately retire a car that he didn't believe was damaged.

I hope McLaren will be able to challenge Red Bull next season but I doubt they will be, which may mean they lose Hamilton at the end of the season.

 

[Cookinflatsix]

Mercedes will not sign Hamilton because they insist on having German drivers and wanting a German world champion and there are spoilt for choice at the moment

The only person who they may consider is DI Resta because he is contracted to them

So Merc will not sign one of the best drivers who has a WC, because he is not German

But they might sign a rookie who is not German

because he is already on their books?

 

[Abnash24]

he'll probably make his decision between hungary and belgium 2012, then he will have had plenty of time to asess the car and decide

 

[Il_leone]

So Merc will not sign one of the best drivers who has a WC, because he is not German

But they might sign a rookie who is not German

because he is already on their books?

Norbert rates Di Resta thanks to his cousin Dario Franchitti for pushing him towards DTM with Mercedes to learn the sharp end of racing. Unless Mercedes would either swap Rosberg or Di Resta with Lewis.

If Mercedes were willing to ignore a world champion in Button and the No 1 plate on the car for a German who retired 3 years ago which is looking ever silly then I don't see why they would not ignore Hamilton either.

Mercedes have a policy of bringing young drivers through and given them the opportunities. If they had their way at Mclaren they would have got Heidfeld to replace Hakkinen not Raikkonen as Ron preferred and again replacing Coulthard instead of Ron's option of Montoya.

With Mercedes its either German drivers or drivers on their books see Sauber- Mercedes - they had Wendlinger and Frentzen but thought Schumacher would join them based on a verbal agreement. All three drove for their sportscar team

 

[Il_leone]

I was thinking about the car number situations for next year who is getting No 3 and No 4 at Mclaren

The FIA entries published for 2012 showed Button will get No 3 and Hamilton will get No 4....hate to say but car No 4 has not been a great number if you want to be world champion !

 

[racecub]

I was thinking about the car number situations for next year who is getting No 3 and No 4 at Mclaren

The FIA entries published for 2012 showed Button will get No 3 and Hamilton will get No 4....hate to say but car No 4 has not been a great number if you want to be world champion !

I shouldn't think Lewis gives a rat's arse what number is on his car. If it's not number 1 its just another number. Line drawn, start agen.