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.)

 

[OnTheLimit]

2007 was an abject disaster, obviously spearheaded by the incredible petulance displayed by the twice-reigning WDC.

That's a tad unfair and inaccurate. Both Hamilton and Alonso were to blame in 2007 but ultimately it was Ron Dennis's poor management which cost them the WCC and WDC.

Mclaren are a great team but its not the first they've mismanaged their drivers.. and i doubt it'll be the last

 

[KekeTheKing]

That's a tad unfair and inaccurate. Both Hamilton and Alonso were to blame in 2007 but ultimately it was Ron Dennis's poor management which cost them the WCC and WDC.

Or maybe it was it was the FIA, in cahoots with Ferrari to ensnare the Woking boys in a web of deceit the likes of which the world has never known, while a small contingent of Franco-Italian mobsters pull the strings behind the scenes.

Nah. I'll stick with 'Nando.

 

[OnTheLimit]

Or maybe it was it was the FIA, in cahoots with Ferrari to ensnare the Woking boys in a web of deceit the likes of which the world has never known, while a small contingent of Franco-Italian mobsters pull the strings behind the scenes.

Nah. I'll stick with 'Nando.

You obviously know things the average Formula one fan doesn't.
I guess you were there when this all unfolded?

 

[ExtremeNinja]

You obviously know things the average Formula one fan doesn't.
I guess you were there when this all unfolded?

I think we all know quite a lot about what went on. Some of us choose to be selective with the facts that we accept, though.

 

[KekeTheKing]

I guess you were there when this all unfolded?

Fernando openly displayed his displeasure on numerous occasions. His reaction to being raced against at Indy was unbecoming of a World Champion, and set the tone for the rivalry.

 

[OnTheLimit]

I think we all know quite a lot about what went on

Some of us may think we have an idea but its all speculation and it always be will be until we hear the full story from the horses mouth.

Fernando openly displayed his displeasure on numerous occasions. His reaction to be raced against at Indy was unbecoming of a World Champion, and set the tone for the rivalry.

Hamilton also showed his hand at Hungary, failing to obey team orders in Quali which triggered the drama that followed but no..lets just sweep it under the carpet shall we..

 

[Senna's_right_foot]

Alonso knew about the emails from Caughlan (the ones which De la Rosa showed him) long before Hungary. but let's just sweep that under the carpet shall we

edit: I read the FIA report and quotes from Mad Max, both of which give, i'm sure, a better representation of events than some guy on the internet saying 'Hamilton started it', which was always the case on 606. Anyway, been done to death already, the facts are there (if you want them) so little point flogging a dead horse.

 

[KekeTheKing]

Hamilton also showed his hand at Hungary

If you think McLaren's 2007 season blew up because Lewis led Fernando around on their fuel-burn lap, then I think that speaks volumes about your capacity to understand the situation.

 

[ExtremeNinja]

Some of us may think we have an idea but its all speculation and it always be will be until we hear the full story from the horses mouth.

There is a enough fact around to ignore the speculation and still come to a reasonable conclusion. It's ignoring the facts that is often the problem.

Hamilton also showed his hand at Hungary, failing to obey team orders in Quali which triggered the drama that followed but no..lets just sweep it under the carpet shall we..

I am pretty sure that Lewis cannot be held accountable for SpyGate for this.

With regards to sweeping stuff under the carpet, how about we just put it in the attic seeing as it was 5 years ago? Most of us got over the Lewis/Fernando feud a long time ago.

 

[Brogan]

It never ceases to amaze me how, five years later, there is still so much ignorance surrounding the events in 2007.

Ignorance or a refusal to accept the facts, I'm never sure which it is.

 

[OnTheLimit]

I think that speaks volumes about your capacity to understand the situation.

Whatever my 'capacity' to understand may be, at least i don't resort to insults and turn a perfectly civilized discussion into a childish squabble.

Well done

 

[KekeTheKing]

Whatever my 'capacity' to understand may be, at least i don't resort to insults

Is that an admission that you're struggling to grasp the circumstances surrounding the 2007 Formula One season? And if you've regarded my comments as insults, then I'll spare your feelings by refraining from further discourse.

 

[OnTheLimit]

Is that an admission that you're struggling to grasp the circumstances surrounding the 2007 Formula One season? And if you've regarded my comments as insults, then I'll spare your feelings by refraining from further discourse.

No, i'm happy to discuss this issue but not when you direct thinly veiled insults my way. It might be your potty style of discussing/debating but its not mine

 

[teabagyokel]

McLaren had possibly the two fastest drivers in the two fastest cars in 2007, and for various reasons blew it.

In my opinion, Lewis Hamilton was the one person who remained pretty much untainted by the whole scandal, and to suggest that the crime of disobeying a team order somehow equates to or cancels out blackmail, knowingly using stolen data and disobeying a team order is beyond ridiculous.

It was a shameful episode in McLaren's history which should never have been allowed to escalate to the point that it did. It was the A-bomb on the McLaren season. Perhaps the strongest indication of how poor this situation was managed is that they almost won the Drivers' Title with the millstone around their necks, and unarguably would have won both titles without it.

 

[KekeTheKing]

@OTL

The issue's been discussed to death. Nobody's changing their mind at this point.

I'll direct you to post #583, your post, which was clearly meant in a condescending manner. And I've seen some of the other nonsense you've spewed since joining a week ago. It's led me to the conclusion that there's no use engaging you in serious debate. My posts were meant to convey that sentiment.

 

[OnTheLimit]

@OTL

It's led me to the conclusion that there's no use engaging you in serious debate. My posts were meant to convey that sentiment.

And likewise. I wouldn't have expected this kind of rhetoric from a 'Staff' Member but i guess you are above the rules so anything goes.

 

[Brogan]

i guess you are above the rules so anything goes.

You guess wrong.

 

[OnTheLimit]

You guess wrong.

Well that just confirms my suspicions. Please delete my account, i didn't sign up to take this crap
Thanks

 

[Brogan]

Done.

 

[Fenderman]

Toodle pip, Matey. have a nice life. Phew .... that's a relief ...