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]

RasputinLives I wonder how Ron Dennis feels about the current plight at Mclaren because he started it by a coup by forcing Whitmarsh out and taking advantage of Ojjeh 's health issues

People are at Mclaren tend to work for a while before leaving and they are rarely sacked in the manner someone as experienced as Tim Goss has been forced out and blamed for this year's car it's almost like Ferrari practice trying to find scapegoats within the team except the management's fault

Interestingly Whitmarsh has said people like Brown and Bouillier without naming them directly would need to go
It stems from this statement apparently by Bouillier who's position has been in question in recent months

What McLaren boss Eric Boullier said after Canada GP might caused a staff revolt [Mail]

It seems to me there is a leadership direction issue and the staff seems to like working for Whitmarsh who had a nickname of Martin Whiplash but he was not a mad dictator like Ron Dennis nor it appears to be someone who would stab you in the back which appears to be the thinking about Bouillier

Things are not looking great for Mclaren if the staff are going to the owner about the current leadership to force an action

 

[Il_leone]

teabagyokel Yep after 1 season where Mclaren failed to get a podium a certain Ron Dennis felt Mclaren under Whitmarsh was not achieving the same high standards and only he could lead them to the glory days again

 

[F1Brits_90]

I thought this was a article from sniff petrol, When i was the headline. But no its not a parody its real life

McLaren F1 staff revolt over 25p choc bars given to them as a reward

 

[RasputinLives]

Freddo's are 25p now!?!?

 

[RasputinLives]

Actually the bit I like best in that article is:

''staff were urged to build prototypes out of wood if they had any ideas on how to improve the sub-standard car"

Why stop at a prototype? Why not have an entire wooden McLaren big enough to hide Eric Boullier and Zak Brown? They could leave it outside the pit garage of Red Bull as a gift. Then when Red Bull wheel it in and go off for a kip Zak and Eric could jump out and steal Adrian Newy.

 

[The Pits]

Except someone would probably park it outside the Sauber pit, and they would steal the tea lady

 

[cider_and_toast]

But more worryingly, the Sauber tea lady would then go on to design a mid-season aero package that would make the McLaren 6 tenths quicker. It would still be dog slow but 6 tenths quicker dog slow.

 

[Andyoak]

Actually the bit I like best in that article is:

''staff were urged to build prototypes out of wood if they had any ideas on how to improve the sub-standard car"

Why stop at a prototype? Why not have an entire wooden McLaren big enough to hide Eric Boullier and Zak Brown? They could leave it outside the pit garage of Red Bull as a gift. Then when Red Bull wheel it in and go off for a kip Zak and Eric could jump out and steal Adrian Newy.

I refer you to my avatar...
They can have our Green Oak F1 Kart if they can dig it out of the brambles

 

[RasputinLives]

I think we've all missed the point of this article. It seems quite clear that McLaren are set to announce Freddo's as their new title sponsor.

 

[FB]

Do you think Eric Bouiller gets a discount as they use his face on the front of the Freddo pack?

 

[Il_leone]

Okay Fredogate is getting ridiculous there is clearly someone unhappy at Mclaren to leak this embarrassing article out

There is denial of revolt and that Whitmarsh is talking horse manure

There is no smoke without fire

 

[teabagyokel]

Well, basically, the car is no longer a Honda, yet it’s still shite. Therein lies the issue.

 

[RasputinLives]

Not just shite but going backwards. That was poor in France today and the team have nothing to hide behind anymore.

 

[F1Brits_90]

Freddo's are 25p now!?!?

That's the main reason for the revolt didnt you know, 25p back in my day it were 10p

 

[F1Brits_90]

I talked about this on french thread how this was yet another low in recent history of mclaren. We said post season that its a risky decision because if your still crap then no scapegoat anymore & double the pressure. In a way im very happy honda left mclaren as we know now where the problem laid in the saga
Poor reliability - honda.
low top speed - mclaren

peter prodrumu who came with a big fanfare in 2014 who was a big loss to red bull & newey prodigy. But since he arrived at mclaren they have had 3 increasingly terrible cars & if he must be fearing for his position & under huge pressure

 

[Titch]

Well he knows the score. He is paid to improve the car. He hasn't, you don't get that kind of money indefinitely without proving your worth it.

 

[Il_leone]

Eric Bouillier is dead man walking after today. Now Mclaren are coming out saying that they did not see how bad the car is because it did not correlate to the wind tunnel results

The way Alonso ended the race today is very sad to see. Button must be glad he retired a few seasons back now

 

[cider_and_toast]

The way Alonso ended the race today is very sad hilarious to see. Button must be glad he retired a few seasons back now

Fixed that for you

 

[Il_leone]

cider_and_toast An interesting take on it.. I am surprised he did not deliberately over rev the eng to wait for it to blow

 

[Titch]

It’s called McLaren, but it’s run by committee. McLaren needs a new man of vision, like McLaren.