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.)

 

[cider_and_toast]

This year's McLaren chassis evidently not up to the standard of last year's.

Not according to the messages being received from Planet Croft-Brundle whose strange signals were being interpreted as the 4th coming of the great McLaren. All hail and praise our new orange overlords.

 

[Bill Boddy]

.... All hail and praise our new orange overlord...

At last, a Trump fan

 

[F1Brits_90]

They didn't wait for Brendan to complete the crocodile before going green - he was already 33s behind Stroll at the restart. But yes, not a great race for Honda.

Didnt realise but then i guess thats pitfalls of last. No tv coverage

 

[RasputinLives]

Alonso gains from a safety car. Not for the first time

 

[ColdHotCool]

Alonso gains from a safety car. Not for the first time

Lucky to hold onto 5th, I doubt he could keep those cars behind him at the next track if the circumstances repeat themselves.

 

[Road of Bones]

Given the last 3 appalling Honda-mired years, I’ll take a double points-finish at the opening round, thanks! My glimmer of orange sunshine in an otherwise murky grey & red sky (they can call it silver all they want, those Mercedes are just shiny grey...).

 

[FB]

Can we start referring to McLaren as Team Alonso as everything they do appears to about him with McLaren as a secondary consideration. The engine supplier was changed to keep him happy, he was remonstrating with his race engineer for not being positive enough at the last race and he doesn't even wear a McLaren snap back in the mix zone, he has one which advertises his own clothing brand.

The cult of personality for this bloke is reaching epidemic proportions and will, ultimately, bring about the demise of the team.

 

[cider_and_toast]

You're absolutely right mate. Sadly, you reap what you sow.

 

[vintly]

It always puzzles me when people get annoyed by celebrities or sports-people who they wouldn't like if they knew them. If I don't know them, then as long as they're entertaining I'm in favour of their behaviour, whether I'd like them or not.

It would be boring if Alonso was nice. Does he annoy you when he pops over for tea? No because we don't know him, and he doesn't pop over for tea. That would be different. Therefore don't we want him to be maximum drama off the track, and maximum best possible driver that he can be on it - like he is? I like the fact that he's annoying and dramatic because it spices up the coverage. Not saying everyone should be like that but at least he's got a personality.

We don't know how much the engine change was down to Alonso, for all we know his influence was incidental, and his whining on camera was likely only detrimental to the whole change-over.

Ideal scenario for me is when they lose it, boil over, say stupid things they'd rather not have said and generally show their personality flaws. Might have done it myself once or twice.

 

[RasputinLives]

I think it's the sense of entitlement that bugs people.

 

[Bill Boddy]

Can we start referring to McLaren as Team Alonso ....

Certainly. At the same time how about Team Hamilton?

 

[vintly]

I get it RasputinLives, Alonso's non-endearing personality traits bug people. I'm just saying that unless it's someone you personally know and have to deal with, or someone who wields power over you in some way however small, such as a local councillor, policeman or politician, then those non-endearing traits are simply entertaining, or so I think.

I'm continually surprised when people get het up by these things when they're not affected by them other than witnessing them. It's McLaren's problem not yours! Sorry to bang on, and this wasn't directed at you or anyone in particular. Maybe its just me...

 

[RasputinLives]

Oh I see. I'm alright Jack. I get it.

 

[Titch]

I think it's the sense of entitlement that bugs people.

Well of course it does. That’s what makes him such an admirable addition to F1. Like Marmite. Hate him or love him. Who wants bland F1 drivers, when you have bland F1.

 

[RasputinLives]

But it's been 16 years! Time to change the record. Right now he's blander than eating low fat Greek youghat in front of a Meg Ryan movie.

 

[Titch]

You lead such an exciting life RasputinLives .

 

[Rutherford]

What the heck is this article about?
McLaren fears it set targets too low for its 2018 Formula 1 car

We just need to make the car faster around the corners and in a straight line.

Where else could it go faster?
And what is he trying to say that had McLaren known they built a slow car, they would have built a faster one?

He correctly recognises, „McLaren have nowhere else to hide“.

The team has become a joke.

The best chassis, more sponsors, more success with Renault, etc.. It’s all a bunch of lies and justifications. They need to get themselves sorted pronto. It’s good that they have nowhere to hide, because now they have to face their deficiencies.

They’ve bent over for Alonso and got screwed.
Now Toro Rosso and probably Red Bull are going to profit from all of the R&D McLaren and Honda have done in the past three years. All whilst losing factory team status, to simply keep one egomaniac happy.
Well done McLaren, well done.

Alonso won’t care he’ll move to a different series, win some races here and there or retire completely, while McLaren continue to struggle.

 

[FB]

No need to change the pre-fix on this thread for the 2018 season!

 

[RasputinLives]

I sure Fernando will pick up some points tomorrow and Brundle will hail it a triumph.

Apparently the Mclaren is the slowest car in a straight line here at China. Whats that all about?

 

[The Pits]

Great downforce, shite drag. Possibly been the same for a couple of years now. Big up the chassis by whacking on the trim and gurney flaps and raising corner speeds, but killing top speed.