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.)

 

[landogeorgelewis1]

Toodle pip, Matey. have a nice life.

.

 

[Slyboogy]

Toodle pip

 

[The Pits]

Hang on, it says ex member.

I'm pretty sure they're still a member

 

[Fenderman]

That means I'll be able to say "Hello, how's it going? " sometime ...

 

[Brogan]

We don't normally comment on these issues but just to put a stop to the speculation, discussion, etc. this isn't the first time this member has registered, argued with a few people and then flounced off asking for their account to be deleted (no, I'm not going to say what their original account was).

You will note that here I said that staff were not above the rules, because they aren't: http://cliptheapex.com/threads/mclaren.3217/page-30#post-119082
The rules apply to everyone equally.

Yet they still asked for their account to be deleted, almost as if they anticipated the opposite response which would have supported their incorrect claim, giving them the perfect opportunity to disappear.

Now, back to the thread.

 

[FB]

I've just been to the Mclaren Website to try and find out something about the gearbox problem on Hamilton's car and have to say that it is the most user unfriendly site of all the F1 teams. Once they have finished advertising at you there is fuck all about what is happening with the team or drivers. There last update was the "live coverage from Malaysia" - Very, very poor!

http://www.mclaren.com/formula1

 

[ExtremeNinja]

I've just been to the Mclaren Website to try and find out something about the gearbox problem on Hamilton's car and have to say that it is the most user unfriendly site of all the F1 teams. Once they have finished advertising at you there is **** all about what is happening with the team or drivers. There last update was the "live coverage from Malaysia" - Very, very poor!

http://www.mclaren.com/formula1

Their store has a sucky user experience, too - despite the knobs, bells and whistles.

 

[Cookinflatsix]

There last update was the "live coverage from Malaysia" - Very, very poor!

Maybe they could get Ron back to help with details like that for them

edit: its a joke

 

[The Artist.....]

McLaren's transparency has never appeared great to me- from what i remember, for a long time, they used to make information available to "team mclaren" which was a pretty expensive fan club- I think there are still vestiges of this around!

 

[canis]

Team McLaren still exists, but all you get is early sigh of information that is being distributed. There are various Facbook sites and Twitter feeds where you get faily good McLaren info direct from the team or people associated, they are the best source of team news rather than the website.

 

[ExtremeNinja]

Maybe they could get Ron back to help with details like that for them

Ron is a fantastic Web Developer/Edito/Designer/Strategist.

 

[The Artist.....]

Ron is a fantastic Web Developer.

Plus, if Ron were put in charge of the website, it would all be in 'ronspeak'

 

[racecub]

Gearbox! Sorry but words fail at the moment.

 

[ExtremeNinja]

Gearbox! Sorry but words fail at the moment.

No. That's voice box, not gearbox.

 

[Slyboogy]

No. That's voice box, not gearbox.

Now that's one good joke you've told!

 

[Viscount]

McLaren will be using their actual test drivers Gary Paffett and Oliver Turvey at the upcoming mid-season test rather than their race drivers:

http://www.gpupdate.net/en/f1-news/277439/hamilton-and-button-to-miss-mugello-test/

 

[Jos the Boss]

Wonder why that is, you would think they would like to shape the cars mid season development

 

[FB]

That'll help Presume the race drivers have some important PR events to attend at that time...

 

[RasputinLives]

I share your despair FB. If the other top teams do the same I'll be surprised especially Ferrari. I imagine Fernando will be out there trying to gain as much as he can.

Seems very odd logic not to have them there for at least one session each.

 

[Jos the Boss]

I think we could have had a change of mind by both of them if they are caught up or aren't leading into the summer break