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.)

 

[Johnny Carwash]

Good chance with the Mercedes deal that they will be the 4th best team on the grid.

 

[RasputinLives]

They kind of are already.

 

[F1Brits_90]

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.

reason I say that was because I remember that with Mercedes for them 15 or 16 years they were always competitive. always winning & challenging for championships. looking at the stats mclaren won a race in every season from 1997 - 2013 bar 2 seasons 2006 2013 but really only 2013 was the failure because they had 3 poles & 9 podiums

I might be naive, I know that sometimes but Williams would've beaten in Austria & Britain but for own terrible pit strategies that shit themselves In the foot. also if it was proven that toto wolff is hypothetically affecting an outcome (wont say fixing just in case) then there would be serious repercussions just ask flavio briatore & pat symonds

 

[RasputinLives]

Yes it was a shit strategy. Course it was

 

[F1Brits_90]

Yes it was a shit strategy. Course it was

bloody keyboard why do they have to have the i & o so close together

 

[Il_leone]

One of the reasons Mercedes left was because they wanted their own team and that was never going to happen with Ron Dennis even though it supposedly a 50-50 partnership and thought he had everything water tight

Ron was not keen on other top teams getting Mercedes engines and can veto other teams such as Red Bull getting them and was not best pleased that the Brawn deal that Martin Whitmarsh agreed to actually paved the way for Mercedes to set up their own team

 

[Il_leone]

The fact that Mercedes have got both Williams and Mclaren as partners suggests possible shuffling with Ocon and Russell into these teams if they cannot find drive for Mercedes

I know he would be too old but would Alonso be tempted to come back

We might see Norris and Russell in the same team. I think Merc might dump Racing Point who would be saddled with a Renault engine then unless they are happy to supply 4 teams

I was surprised by the deal but given their fall out with Honda and Ferrari was also considered their enemy this was their only option. It also suggests that no new engine manufacturers/ suppliers from 2021

 

[FB]

I suspect Mercedes are working their exit strategy and McLaren will become their "works" team in 2021 with (if he's still racing) Hamilton going back to Woking. Merc will then focus their energy on Formula E having recently announced they will no longer be developing internal combustion engines.

Daimler stops developing internal combustion engines to focus on electric cars

After reigning in the auto industry as the powertrain of choice for a century, the internal combustion engine is finally...

electrek.co

 

[Il_leone]

FB Maybe so they can focus on Formula E so what will happen to Team Brackley?

 

[FB]

I suspect the cost of closing down the Brackley operation would be cheaper than a season in F1. Or Ross Brawn could buy it for a quid?

 

[F1Brits_90]

billie ellish i know her she's pretty big, not my bag but heard this on radio i didnt have her down as a F1 fan. but shes done a song i think about Bouillier & Alonso issues in 2018

I had a dream I got everything I wanted.
Not what you'd think & if I'm being honest.
it might've been a nightmare

 

[Ruslan]

Well, Mark Knofler actually did do a song about an Indy Car season.

 

[F1Brits_90]

Well, Mark Knofler actually did do a song about an Indy Car season.

i would like to see that

 

[Ruslan]

i would like to see that

The song is called Speedway at Nazareth. It was on his Sailing to Philadelphia album.

 

[RasputinLives]

George Harrison wrote a song about Jackie Stewart.

 

[cider_and_toast]

It's on here. I've posted it a few times.

The song is shite but the video is great.

 

[F1Brits_90]

this an honest gaff or a publicity stunt. lando norris accidentally revealed the launch date in the same way rosberg accidentally outbreaked himself in 2016

Norris 'lets slip' McLaren F1 car launch date

McLaren used an innovative way of revealing its 2020 Formula 1 car launch date on Monday – when Lando Norris appeared to accidentally let slip the details.

www.motorsport.com

 

[cider_and_toast]

Stunt I would bet.

 

[RasputinLives]

Especially as it's being reported by a media outlet owned by the same guy who owns McLaren.

 

[gethinceri]

This'll take some smoke & mirrors:

McLaren take legal action to try to secure 'urgent' refinancing

McLaren takes legal action to allow it to secure "urgent" refinancing to address what it says is "severe and unexpected financial difficulty".

www.bbc.co.uk