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.)

 

[F1Brits_90]

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

well with F1 on the paywall that is looking highly likely outcome. I thought they use coke zero for sponsorship, after all that how many points McLaren often got

 

[RasputinLives]

Isn't McLaren's new title sponsor Fernando Alonso?

 

[FB]

The headline is not quite what Zak Brown says in the article but interesting that all the teams are grandstanding in advance of the next financial deal - BREAKING: McLaren Pull Off a Red Bull and Threaten to Quit

 

[cider_and_toast]

Like all good F1 teams who have fallen on hard times, suddenly the rules need to be fair and equal. Somehow I don't recall team McLaren being that pro equality 10 years ago.

As one of the lead teams in FOTA they were at the forefront of scrapping the proposed budget cap and organising the breakaway series.

 

[RasputinLives]

Apparently....

https://www.planetf1.com/news/boullier-knew-mclaren-honda-deal-would-fail/

Boullier knew all along! He told Ron Dennis and everything but Ron wouldn't listen.

I like to blame everything on Ron Dennis as much as the next man but this has a whiff of, as they say in France, ze bullshit.

 

[F1Brits_90]

weird story as McLaren’s F1 engineering director Pat Fry is understood to have been put on gardening leave after indicating that he wants to leave the team.

McLaren’s engineering director Pat Fry set to leave team

 

[Il_leone]

Probably he has an offer to be the main technical director/ chief designer.

Williams no doubt is an obvious choice and the other being Renault

 

[Il_leone]

RasputinLives Its all academic really given neither are at Mclaren. It will go down as one of the worst periods in Mclaren's history and both were there when it happened

 

[FB]

Wasn't Pat Fry responsible for this years car?

 

[gethinceri]

No, perhaps only in part.

 

[Il_leone]

I think Peter Prodromou was one half of the team whilst Pat was the engineering director but if James Key is having more say then Pat might fancy the Williams job instead

 

[Grizzly]

I'm fairly sure that Fry's post was temporary. I imagine he's off to Williams for a permanent post.

 

[Bill Boddy]

Should we send him a condolences card?

 

[F1Brits_90]

ask a stupid question get a stupid answer at McLaren on Sunday

 

[RasputinLives]

Norris is pretty good for radio messages.

M: "we'd like you to keep Ricciardo in your DRS range without letting him pass you"

LN: "what? Forever!?!"

 

[Titch]

The picture in our paper today of a McLaren super car said it sold for £19 million at auction. Is that more expensive than a McLaren F1 car ? And, does it go faster than a McLaren F1 car.

 

[rufus_mcdufus]

The picture in our paper today of a McLaren super car said it sold for £19 million at auction. Is that more expensive than a McLaren F1 car ? And, does it go faster than a McLaren F1 car.

Top speed of an F1 is around 220mph, though apparently some seem to reckon it's capable of around 230mph. I think the fastest F1 cars measured (according to this article - Montoya in 2005, Bottas in a Williams (!) in 2016 we're looking around 370km/h so around 220mph, Similar top speeds.

 

[F1Brits_90]

decision may i say is correct one. because i never understood why they left in 1st place. McLaren mercedes for me in 1998 - 2013 was a byword for success & a great partnership

McLaren poised for Mercedes engine switch in 2021

www.motorsport.com

 

[RasputinLives]

3 drivers championships and 2 constructors titles in 15 years? Not much of a byword.

They left because they knew the parent team would not let them beat them. They were right and still are.

 

[cider_and_toast]

No works engine, no winning ways.