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.)

 

[FB]

Realistically Marlboro made Mclaren what it is today as they brokered the deal between Project 4 and the Teddy Mayer's Mclaren team. Without them Ron wouldn't have been able to get anywhere in F1 and Mclaren would died a slow lingering death like Lotus or Tyrrell.

What I would question racecub is how you can be so sure that Mclaren didn't tell Hamilton until the race weekend and that you can be similarly sure that the team will be testing a new rear end which will be exclusively for Button's use.

 

[Josh]

When did they say they knew about the gearbox since the previous race? I must have missed that.

 

[racecub]

Now you've got me...because I cant remember where I read about the telling him bit, but I definately read it. I though on ere but maybe not. I'll look back over things Ive read and post it when I find it.
On the exhaust, I dont know that thats what they'll be testing, hat was just me sumisisng, which was why I said I waited with bated breath.

 

[Cookinflatsix]

Realistically Marlboro made Mclaren what it is today as they brokered the deal between Project 4 and the Teddy Mayer's Mclaren team. Without them Ron wouldn't have been able to get anywhere in F1 and Mclaren would died a slow lingering death

Marlboro may have facilitated the marriage between two of its sponsored interests but they didn't manage the team subsequently and turn it into the powerhouse it became. Without them Ron might have been nowhere but we don't know this, he could have got backing etc elsewhere for his project 4
Ron is the rainmaker who is responsible for McLaren brand and history in my opinion

 

[FB]

No denying that CFS - with out Ron Mclaren today would not be what it is but you could also say that with John Barnard, Gordon Murray, Alain Prost, Niki Lauda, etc, etc Mclaren would not be what it is today. Ron Dennis is the face and fulcrum of the modern Mclaren company, a bit like Steve Jobs was at Apple. But, as we all know, there are many parts needed to make a compnay of this type work. Credit to Ron though, he did a brilliant job of getting the right people at the right time.

 

[Cookinflatsix]

Exactly FB he was the rainmaker just like Steve Jobs who didn't do much engineering but was responsible for turning Apple into a powerhouse from the moribund state it was in when the board asked him to come back and take control

 

[RasputinLives]

By the way I never said Ron didn't do a great job for Mclaren just that I think he's a bit of a dullard. I don't like Bernie either but you can't deny the wonders he's done for F1

 

[The Artist.....]

Actually, there are many people who would say that the most important person for the McLaren team was a certain Frank Williams! - FW brought TAG into F1, who then were tempted to join McLaren (And became co-owners), then Honda engines had been driving the Williams team, and McLaren managed to gain these, then Adrian Newey had been designing Williams cars, and then he was moved into McLaren..... The latest in this train has been Sam Michael, of course! - Maybe the reason that McLaren haven't made any leaps forward in the last few years is just because Williams haven't had any key contracts or personnel who would be wanted by any other team!!!

Whilst this is by far an over-simplification, it is astounding to see the number of key contracts and personnel who have made the move from Grove to Woking....

 

[The Artist.....]

I suspect that there are many reasons why Ron Dennis has not received a knighthood- however, the fact that Williams has given huge prominence to the save the children campaign on his f1 cars could have helped no end! (I realise this is off topic)

 

[racecub]

FB &Josh After much searching it appears it was Ted Kravitz that said.. it seems McLaren knew the gear box would need changing before they left malaysia, but only told lewis a couple of days before quali.Kraviz said this during practise one or practise two on the Friday. Maybe they spotted a crack in it or something, but I think they should have told lewis.

 

[Fenderman]

Ted has spoken, therefore it is so.

 

[racecub]

No not at all. I was asked where Id heard it, and I realise it was there. Might not be so of course.

 

[Cookinflatsix]

Thanks for the info racecub for me the more info available the better for us armchair experts

 

[Hamberg]

Kravitz also said with some conviction the reasons why the pit stops took so long and that McLaren would be changing shortly to the Merc model. He doesn't work for McLaren, he is good at taking info and speculating heavily. Why would he or any other journalist get this information before drivers do?

 

[racecub]

Id speculate that McLaren, thought Lewis might not handle that news too well and didnt want to tell him till the last minute.By the time Kravitz`said it during practise it was general knowledge that the gearbox needed changing.
On the merc model of pit guns, Whitmarsh confirmed they were developing a similar one to Ferrari and Mercedes though not necessarily changing to them

 

[Hamberg]

Precisely. Kravitz said they were moving to it and Whitmarsh confirmed differently. So I suggest you stop taking something a journalist speculates and start assuming the worse.

If Lewis was given an update over Jenson and it didn't work (has happened frequently) and then had to wait five races for it to be changed I bet you'd be 'speculating' about Hamilton being used as Button's guinea pig.

• McLaren bring Button in first (bad for Lewis)
• McLaren bring Hamilton in first (bad for Lewis)
• Button's car has a cracked exhaust, gets a puncture and retires - bad for Lewis

Notice a pattern?

The only reason Button was out of the points was because his car failed him, liked Hamilton's gearbox did the race before. If Button's car fails him and they get an opportunity to get a free gearbox change then go for it. Lewis has scored points every race despite his car/parts letting him down. Button's car/parts failing him in China lost him any chance of scoring points. If McLaren are doing their best to make sure Button is getting the preferential treatment then they are about as successful at that as they are with their pit stops.

 

[Cookinflatsix]

racecub Yes Whitmarsh confirmed that they did not want to change over yet to their own version of Mercs system after what happened to MS. So Kravitz seems to be doing what a pit reporter should do, Sniff around for snippets of info behind the scenes and behind the teams PR fronts and speculate on their feasibility and implications.

Gary Anderson, another media pundit with maybe more info sources behind the scenes than the public, for example said a month ago that Red Bull team were very unhappy about their start and that Vettel was not happy at all or confident. Since then they have qualified first, won the race and now lead the championship.

It would be good to see that type of 'upset' within the McLaren team, maybe some firings and harsh words and fingers pointed, instead of arms wrapped round miscreants and soothing tones of 'we all make mistakes, we will look into it'

 

[racecub]

Hamberg.Yes I notice a pattern. Lots of bad things for Lewis, but you missed quite a few out . I dont think this is the place to get into a discusiion about preferential treatment, so I wont list the missed out ones.
I agree McLaren should go for a free gearbox change for Button, I said so in an earlier post, they'd be silly not to.

 

[Viscount]

Noticed the piping on the side of the rear wing, anyone know if McLaren were testing their own version of the double DRS at Mugello?

 

[Senna's_right_foot]

http://motorsport.nextgen-auto.com/McLaren-tested-higher-nose-at-Mugello,41370.html

Reports suggest McLaren were testing a higher nose at Mugello, as well as adjustable brake ducts, which can be adjusted by mechanics at pit stops (oh dear...), which are used to regulate tyre temperature.

Full article in German:

http://www.auto-motor-und-sport.de/formel-1/mclaren-technik-bremsen-trick-und-hohe-nase-4907992.html