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]

McLaren had a similar injection of capital earlier in the year. 200 million is relatively small beer in the overall scheme of things at the rate they are burning through cash.

well yes 200m pound on mercedes budget wouldnt even finish the season. & would only get you to imola

 

[RasputinLives]

"McLaren selling their buildings is not a sign of money problems but a really sensible normal, yet brilliant business decision" says website who are part of the motorsports network whose non-executive chairman also owns Mclaren

What McLaren's factory sale means for the future of the F1 team

www.motorsport.com

 

[rufus_mcdufus]

I guess also with the cost-cutting measures coming in soon, they may not need all the physical space at MTC any more and maybe don't want to get into the property management business by leasing out parts of it.

 

[Il_leone]

If McLaren have cut some if its staff then I guess some of the floor space on site is wasting away and unused

 

[RasputinLives]

Mclaren will challenge big teams next year says publication owned by McLaren major shareholder

Merc and Red Bull's 1-2 under threat from McLaren | PlanetF1

2021 could be a "shock season" for Mercedes and Red Bull with PlanetF1 readers predicting Daniel Ricciardo will make a difference at McLaren.

www.planetf1.com

 

[F1Brits_90]

Mclaren will challenge big teams next year says publication owned by McLaren major shareholder

Merc and Red Bull's 1-2 under threat from McLaren | PlanetF1

2021 could be a "shock season" for Mercedes and Red Bull with PlanetF1 readers predicting Daniel Ricciardo will make a difference at McLaren.

www.planetf1.com

not like McLaren to make outlandish statements <cough>honda engine is piece of jewellery & will challenge for the constructors<cough>

but i am big things & they should finish 3rd next season. just purely from the advantage the Mercedes engine will give them. but as 2014 - 2016 Williams proved you still need decent aerodynamics

 

[Il_leone]

Well last time they said that they had their ended up.with pants down when it was discovered it was not all Honda's fault

 

[Il_leone]

So are they going to blame Merc for inferior engines

 

[F1Brits_90]

well i doubt imagine saying the last 7 world champions have a duff engine

 

[Dartman]

Perhaps they listened to Fernando who told them it was the engine, rather than Jenson who tends to know whether the car is a dog, maybe that's why he want.

 

[The Artist.....]

Perhaps they listened to Fernando who told them it was the engine, rather than Jenson who tends to know whether the car is a dog, maybe that's why he want.

I have constantly questioned why Alonso is hailed as such a great driver. All he seems to do is sow discord wherever he goes.

at Renault, he was protected, as Briatore was his manager, and lined everything up for him, but he was, let’s face it, slower than Button when he was the test driver, slower than Hamilton across 2007. He was faster than Piquet Jr, and a distinctly second hand Massa (Who was sadly never the same after his crash).

At Indy this year, he was slower than his teammate, and never looked like making an impact.

People say he‘s made a mistake going to Renault. I say that Renault have made a mistake hiring him.

 

[Il_leone]

The main problem with Alonso is his ego but his career is almost like Prost's things will start well at the beginning but when they are not and the recovery is not in sight then things will always end badly for him

 

[RasputinLives]

4 time world champion Alain Prost? One of the greatest drivers ever? Alonso is not fit to clean his boots.

Awful comparison

 

[Il_leone]

4 time world champion Alain Prost? One of the greatest drivers ever? Alonso is not fit to clean his boots.

Awful comparison

Alonso should have achieved what Prost did but the way they always seem to have fall out with their teams is similar. Only difference is Prost was a bit more political savvy

 

[RasputinLives]

and he was a far superior driver. I don't see any likeness between the two at all. Really bad comparison. Go back to comparing him to Piquet.

 

[cider_and_toast]

Alonso should have achieved what Prost did

Checks records, still only sees two WDC's.

Should'a, Could'a, Would'a...... Didn't

 

[Il_leone]

Checks records, still only sees two WDC's.

Should'a, Could'a, Would'a...... Didn't

That is my point exactly if he managed his career better

 

[Il_leone]

I have constantly questioned why Alonso is hailed as such a great driver. All he seems to do is sow discord wherever he goes.

at Renault, he was protected, as Briatore was his manager, and lined everything up for him, but he was, let’s face it, slower than Button when he was the test driver, slower than Hamilton across 2007. He was faster than Piquet Jr, and a distinctly second hand Massa (Who was sadly never the same after his crash).

At Indy this year, he was slower than his teammate, and never looked like making an impact.

People say he‘s made a mistake going to Renault. I say that Renault have made a mistake hiring him.

Its not like Renault had a gun pointed to them to hire him they sought assurances but needed a big name driver

We will find out if testing goes well how he reacts and when Ocon starts to beat him.
Having burned his bridges elsewhere he only has Renault.

Some people think Ricciardo jumped early to Mclaren now that Renault have improved a lot

 

[The Artist.....]

Its not like Renault had a gun pointed to them to hire him they sought assurances but needed a big name driver

Why did they need a big name driver? Nico Hulkenberg would have been available for a fraction of the price. Sergio Perez could have done the job (and brought sponsorship - albeit with a Alonso style chaos brought to the team)...

 

[The Pits]

And I dont really know just how big a name Alonso is these days (other than Spain)