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 actually agree with Honda. I don't think Mclaren or Alonso have a realistic view of where the team is now and show no sign of adapting to what they need. I guess that comes from being a big company with a big rep and believing their own hype.

They seem to think an engine fix will put them at the front again which we all know is far from true. It could launch them up to 4th best team (if they are lucky) which would be a platform to build off. However Alonso and the team will be equally as angry at being overtaken by a Force India for 8th than they are being overtaken by a Haas for 16th. They won't see it as progress and therefore will swing the axe again.

 

[The Pits]

Subject to brain fade, Red Bull could have been fighting for the win today. And there has only been 1 season in the last 9 that they have not won a race despite the engine being off the pace of the merc.

McLaren are backing themselves to produce a car which can make up a modest power deficit, like Red Bull have.

Will they be able to? Who knows, but looking at how they move up the grid on less power dependant circuits, they may spring a surprise.

 

[Titch]

I would love McLaren to come storming up the field next year

 

[RasputinLives]

It might be funny if they did but then Alonso started getting beat by Vandoorne! The fall out from that one would be interesting.

 

[Road of Bones]

I'd like to see that, RasputinLives

 

[Rutherford]

It might be funny if they did but then Alonso started getting beat by Vandoorne! The fall out from that one would be interesting.

He'll just start faking engine problems again.

 

[Il_leone]

RasputinLives Its not like HOnda were being pointed with a gun to their head when they decided to returnn to F1 by jumping into bed with Mclaren. Some of the earlier problems were created by Ron Dennis' stewardship but even now Honda have gone backwards not forwards so who is to blame for that. You can't keep making false promises like Honda though then look utterly embarassed once you remove the covers.

Alonso, Mclaren and Honda all should have high expectations they have all won races and championships so they all know they are not there to be also rans
------------------

Secondly Van Doorne is now comfortable and is up there with Alonso in terms of pace so it will get interesting next year especially if Mclaren are truly competitive

I think Mclaren can build a future around him and Norris

 

[RasputinLives]

Anyone noticed that since the Mclaren Honda divorce was announced none of the Honda engines have gone pop?

 

[Bill Boddy]

But they are still a second and a half off the pace.

 

[RasputinLives]

That's very half empty. Both cars got into Q3, were competitive with the midfield pack and had no mechanical issues - for the second race running. It's progress.

 

[The Artist.....]

In Melbourne, they were 3 seconds off the pace... The amount of progress that has been made is extraordinary!

 

[Galahad]

And Sepang is a power circuit. If Melbourne was next week I'd expect them to be 7th & 8th.

 

[Bill Boddy]

The only thing is that they are still well behind using the Honda engine. The teams who are faster than McLaren use one of Ferrari, Mercedes or Renault engines and are rarely overtaken without the use of DRS, unlike McLaren.

 

[RasputinLives]

Hmmm - even Renault?

 

[The Artist.....]

RasputinLives - The Reggie doesn't seem to run out of puff at the end of straights - unlike the Honda!

 

[RasputinLives]

Isn't that to do with the gearbox though? Aren't they hitting the top end of the revs too early?

 

[The Artist.....]

RasputinLives - it's more to do with the energy store running out of battery juice before the end of straights...

 

[sobriety]

I thought it was that the Honda unit runs out of electrical ooomph (the dreaded de-rate) so they find themselves 160-or whatever horsepower down just where they need it the most...

Edit: Beaten to it!

 

[Bill Boddy]

All of which shows that the odds are that McLaren are going in the right direction.

 

[Greenlantern101]

Red Bull win puts pressure on McLaren for 2018 - Alonso

he is relentless