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]

I read something interesting the other day about 'mules'. Apparently during the winter both Mercedes and Ferrari stick their engines in a road car (known as a mule) and pound it round to get it sorted. Honda have never done this and have decided this was an error and will be doing it this winter. To me that indicates there may be a good chance they at least sort the reliability out.

Mclarens switch is all about Alonso and I find it a bit short sighted. I reckon it'll be Red Bull Honda by at least 2021 when the new rules kick in.

 

[The Artist.....]

RasputinLives

To me, that reads as an attempt to circumnavigate the rules relating to testing. The fact the Mercedes have now released a road-car with the F1 engine in again reads as "We're going to go testing, even if it is not in a real F1 car"...

 

[teabagyokel]

To me, that reads as an attempt to circumnavigate the rules relating to testing.

That's exactly what it is. And it sounds like it has been pretty successful.

 

[The Artist.....]

That's exactly what it is. And it sounds like it has been pretty successful.

It also sounds a bit cheaty wheaty!

 

[RasputinLives]

Oh yes it's gamesmanship of the highest order but how can the FIA prevent it? Been going on for years.

 

[teabagyokel]

The Artist..... - Mercedes and Ferarri cheat?

 

[RasputinLives]

Someone sneaked this footage. Listen to the engine.

 

[Titch]

If FIA want high end racing, they should let the teams test. Maybe put money back into the sport by giving each team a set amount of cash to test as and when they want.

 

[Il_leone]

I know that ending the relationship with an engine supplier can be sometimes treated as marriage and painful but I don't think I have seen the word divorce used so irrevocably to describe the split between Mclaren and Honda

McLaren set to divorce from Honda

 

[F1Brits_90]

craig Slater on sky has just said. Honda have reportedly spent 1 billion dollars on this venture. that has to be there with worst money ever spent. im was very shocked that honda have spent that much on this piece of crap but then when your going thru 10 engines each for the last 4 seasons. should be no surprise. still 1 billion dollars & what have McLaren got for that. they are arguably further behind now than midseason 2014 & the only time they were half decent & light at end of the tunnel was back end of 2016

 

[FB]

But 10% of that has been spent on Fernando Alonso who has done nothing but bad mouth the whole venture. That was certainly a very large waste of money.

 

[RasputinLives]

Yeah I'm sure Honda aren't going to miss all those radio calls next year. Even if Gasly and Kvyat are making then they won't get as much attention.

 

[siffert_fan]

I really do not see how McLaren can possibly be better next season.

1.They have kissed off Honda and the 100M they brought to the team.
2. Instead of getting their power units for free, they now will have to buy customer units (from a budget that is 100M lighter than this season).
3. There is no way they will be able to buy the latest unit, which the factory team will undoubtedly reserve for themselves. Thus they are at a disadvantage right from the off.
4. Their priority now will be to re-sign FA, who will no doubt demand a pay increase from this season. This sum will also be coming from a budget that has shrunk by 100M.

HOW is this a recipe for progress?

 

[The Artist.....]

siffert_fan
There is a ruling that the same spec of engine needs to be available for works and customer teams...

 

[vintly]

I think McLaren will be better next year, and there will be progress, but it will be negligible. Long game innit.

 

[RasputinLives]

siffert_fan
There is a ruling that the same spec of engine needs to be available for works and customer teams...

How are Merc getting away with having a different version then? Also Sauber have last year's Ferrari engines.

 

[Il_leone]

Honda now thinks it can be top 3 next season in a Toro Rosso Such delusional optimism and why could you not make that sort of progress with Mclaren given the team has much bigger resources than TR?

 

[Bushi]

I think unlike Ferrari and Merc, Renault gives an equal power unit as they have. It seemed that way anyway in the past in the RB high days siffert_fan .

They maybe lose money by buying the power unit from Renault, but they are loosing money now by ending so low in the constructor championship.

 

[Galahad]

The difference between positions in the constructors championship is only about $5m-$8m. Unless Alonso is taking a massive pay cut, McLaren will need to have a huge sponsor up their sleeve just to maintain current budget.

 

[Il_leone]

Every position in the constructors championship is worth about $10m at least . That is just to cover the freight and transportation costs of the equipment

Yes Mclaren need a huge sponsor as Chandon was only bringing in $5m - $8m or so but then again Ron Dennis was stupid to turn away Vodafone's offer of $40m - $50m ( £35M) saying their offer was too low back in 2013

The Mclaren owners have deep pockets so they can bear it but they would not want to



The knives are out now which will make Suzuka interesting when Alonso broadcasts his messages to Honda

Honda take aim at 'systematic' McLaren and compare engine partners to 'French cuisine'