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]

I don't know where to post this but it seems unlikely Porsche will team up with Mclaren as their plans to buy into an existing team with minimal input does not wash with Mclaren or Williams

 

[F1Brits_90]

 

[cider_and_toast]

Oh yeah, erm, those guys....

 

[F1Brits_90]

Oh yeah, erm, those guys....

yeah ive no idea either, bar peter prodoumou

 

[The Pits]

David Sanchez is Ricks brother, so should be ok.

 

[FB]

Piers Thynne is only there to counter-balance Marcus Thykke, and there's something fishy about Giuseppe Pesce.

 

[F1Brits_90]

risky move hiring a Grammy-winning jazz tenor saxophonist

 

[FB]

When you have a spare 2 1/2 hours to spare

 

[F1Brits_90]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1708854729504121279

 

[F1Brits_90]

will Norris & Piastri buck the trend, & manage to stay friends while fighting for wins & podiums. or will we get invitable fireworks in 2024

 

[Brogan]

This is one race too late I suspect.

If Norris loses the title by a handful of points, it will be due to Italy.

McLaren ask Oscar Piastri to back Lando Norris F1 title bid

McLaren are to prioritise Lando Norris over team-mate Oscar Piastri in their bid to win both Formula 1 world championships this year, team principal Andrea Stella tells BBC Sport.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[F1Brits_90]

im going to guess they did privately ask him in monza. but mark webber & rightly because he is looking after oscar piastri best interests probably told him to assert himself & to not make the same mistakes he did with vettel. now theyve gone public they must have come to some agreement

but i do agree that move is fine v anyone else but was far too risky on his teammate. as we've seen vettel spin at that corner with the same overtake

 

[cider_and_toast]

It's very annoying how much the failings at McLaren, Ferrari and Mercedes have contributed to Red Bull's success as much as RB have a great car and fast driver.

They've made it too easy for RBR over the last couple of seasons.

At least during peak Mercedes their two drivers were going at it. RBR didn't even give us that.

 

[Il_leone]

Mclaren can win the constructors Perez is a bottom 5 driver

As for drivers it needs Ferrari and Mercedes to get in between like last race except Russell messed up lap 1 and Mclaren were daft

 

[Brogan]

I read an article which stated that Norris could have won if McLaren had ordered Piastri to let him past early on.

I can't find it now but it claims that Norris (and Piastri) would have had enough of a lead to prevent Leclerc getting out in front.

That would have been an extra 9 points for Norris and the team.

 

[F1Brits_90]

Mclaren can win the constructors Perez is a bottom 5 driver

As for drivers it needs Ferrari and Mercedes to get in between like last race except Russell messed up lap 1 and Mclaren were daft

that makes the drivers championship interesting. because Max can only afford to lose 7pts a race to norris so if there 3-4 going for a win. a norris victory cluld slash it. very quickly if 4th is best verstappen can hope for

 

[Il_leone]

that makes the drivers championship interesting. because Max can only afford to lose 7pts a race to norris so if there 3-4 going for a win. a norris victory cluld slash it. very quickly if 4th is best verstappen can hope for

If Piastri is in between that's 10pts a race plus 1pt fastest lap and any from the sprint

 

[Il_leone]

I read an article which stated that Norris could have won if McLaren had ordered Piastri to let him past early on.

I can't find it now but it claims that Norris (and Piastri) would have had enough of a lead to prevent Leclerc getting out in front.

That would have been an extra 9 points for Norris and the team.

Well the fact they went flat out did not help