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]

Definition of manufacter for me is a business running a team who was not set up for the sole purpose of competing in Motorsport.

 

[Izumi]

Definition of manufacture for me is a business running a team who was not set up for the sole purpose of competing in Motorsport.

I cannot speak to era now past, but today you will not find a single team who fits your definition. Ferrari started as a racing team, today some will call them manufacturers, yet Ferrari road sport cars are derivates off an F1 car. (Special, fast, financially not easily accessible, etc.) The same McLaren, and the same Mercedes, believe or not. First was a racing car, then hybrid concept was born. I cannot think of a single case where people would have a product first, and then they thought how to make F1 car of it.

Hybrids were born from "save the planet" movement, and there is only so much oil left underground for human race. Admittedly it was not the best idea ever to play with that in racing series, although one can argue it spiced up WCC.

 

[RasputinLives]

No Izumi you've either misunderstood my definition or you are incorrect. McLaren may have MTC tech on the side but they are first and foremost an organisation with the purpose of going F1 racing. Williams are exactly the same. Ditto Haas. Mercedes on the other hand are an organisation set up to build and sell road cars. They go F1 racing to promote this fact. They will only go F1 racing whilst it promotes and profits their brand. As soon as this stops they will pull out.

 

[Il_leone]

I guess for Mclaren its a case of pick your brand to advertise with BAT

Dunhill
Lucky Strike
B & H
Reynolds American
Imperial Tobacco

 

[gethinceri]

Aaaah, fags. Great.

 

[Izumi]

No Izumi you've either misunderstood my definition or you are incorrect. McLaren may have MTC tech on the side but they are first and foremost an organisation with the purpose of going F1 racing. Williams are exactly the same. Ditto Haas. Mercedes on the other hand are an organisation set up to build and sell road cars. They go F1 racing to promote this fact. They will only go F1 racing whilst it promotes and profits their brand. As soon as this stops they will pull out.

When Dr. Zetsche said "racing is in our veins" he was then really faking it? Benz in 1894 participated in first world race (Paris-Rouen). Mercedes-Benz has rich racing pedigree which cannot be denied, and if they are making cars and as primary income stream should not stand as barrier to their equal devotion to racing today, be it on different level than some other teams. I am not buying any claims just because you are making road cars, you cannot be a "true" racer, whatever that means.
To make them responsible for issues of today F1 racing is facing I would say is not only unfair, but also not entirely accurate. But that's just my opinion.

 

[RasputinLives]

So if Merc started coming 8th and 9th every race how long do you think it would be before the bosses pulled the plug? Quote should change to 'racing is in our blood (as long as we're winning)'

 

[Izumi]

So if Merc started coming 8th and 9th every race how long do you think it would be before the bosses pulled the plug? Quote should change to 'racing is in our blood (as long as we're winning)'

Just look what happened prior 2014.

 

[Il_leone]

Izumi RasputinLives is correct look at the history why BMW , Toyota and Honda have pulled out .. namely they were also rans not front runners

Mercedes before Mclaren started winning again were questioning Norbert Haug if they should be in F1 considering it was easier to win in DTM, Indycar and GT racing

Having said that Merc have got too many teams affiliated with team and withdrawing from DTM is a big thing to focus on F1 and Fornula E as it were. The main thing Mercedes wanted when they came back in F1 is a German world champion but they've had to settle for Hamilton because he is the best driver out there which is the next best thing

Why do you think they've monopolised the regulations that even Mclaren is struggling to get to grips with

 

[F1Brits_90]

So if Merc started coming 8th and 9th every race how long do you think it would be before the bosses pulled the plug? Quote should change to 'racing is in our blood (as long as we're winning)'

without a doubt that why I mentioned a few months ago that I would say sign or leave, because with the greatest of respect the 2 teams that control a 1/3rd of the grid. Mercedes & Red Bull if they were having the troubles of McLaren or Williams. they would be gone in a heartbeat. at least if they are going to leave do it on "our" terms instead of Toyota, Honda, Renault, BMW leaving us In the lurch

 

[Angel]

[ The main thing Mercedes wanted when they came back in F1 is a German world champion but they've had to settle for Hamilton because he is the best driver out there which is the next best thing.

Only they had Rosberg, he was a German who became a world champion with them, but I take your point.

 

[Izumi]

Izumi RasputinLives is correct look at the history why BMW , Toyota and Honda have pulled out .. namely they were also rans not front runners

Mercedes before Mclaren started winning again were questioning Norbert Haug if they should be in F1 considering it was easier to win in DTM, Indycar and GT racing

Having said that Merc have got too many teams affiliated with team and withdrawing from DTM is a big thing to focus on F1 and Fornula E as it were. The main thing Mercedes wanted when they came back in F1 is a German world champion but they've had to settle for Hamilton because he is the best driver out there which is the next best thing

Why do you think they've monopolised the regulations that even Mclaren is struggling to get to grips with

Forgive me, but in terms of objective evidence, I do detect quite a few issues with your assessment, and I would take exception to those, however I had rough morning, so perhaps some other time. Problem I think is, that we let some initial speculative assessments live in media and on the internet for far too long as facts, and now we harness fruits of that foolishness.

 

[RasputinLives]

and now we harness fruits of that foolishness.

Steady on old chap.

 

[FB]

BAT own Vype so I suspect we may well see e-cigarette advertising on the McLaren.

 

[Il_leone]

I am expecting depending which country the races are at then Mclaren will have different brand name relating to BAT

Imperial Tobacco for Canada
Reynolds for the USA
I can;t remember another brand is Brazilian

555 was more associated with China when BAR ran the liveries

 

[The Artist.....]

Il_leone - McLaren almost certainly won’t run any tobacco branding- they’ll be in the vuse or vype liveries of the vaping products that Reynolds tobacco also make.

 

[Angel]

Haven't McLaren also got a deal with Coke? I wondered if it would be red and white to reflect that.

 

[Il_leone]

The Artist..... Whilst not the cigarette branding like Ferrari were told to remove the Marlboro stripes. I would agree the e-cigarettes or vaping versions would be used to which ever country is equivalent to market the brand

 

[The Artist.....]

Haven't McLaren also got a deal with Coke? I wondered if it would be red and white to reflect that.

Angel - this was for 2 races, and then they would review the impact; looks like Coke didn't get any value out of it!

 

[Angel]

Angel - this was for 2 races, and then they would review the impact; looks like Coke didn't get any value out of it!

Okay thanks for clarifying The Artist..... I clearly didn't listen properly when I heard about it