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.)

 

[Brogan]

I sincerely hope McLaren take the opportunity to finally build their own engine.

It would be great to see them listed simply as McLaren.

 

[FB]

The Tag engine was pretty effective for McLaren and it was theirs exclusively so there is some logic to following the same model. I can imagine Honda coming back at some point as their last turbo engines were also pretty successful and had some very clever technical advantages in the days of boost restrictions and fuel limits. I think RD would want some exclusivity as that seems to have been the pattern over the years, even the Merc deal was exclusive for a period (wasn't it?).

Perhaps Ron will convince Audi to make them a turbo motor? Their LMP engine isn't too bad is it (I know it's a diesel)

 

[sushifiesta]

It's most likely that whoever has the most resources - both in terms of money and man-power - will develop the best 2014 engine to begin with. McLaren will want the best so they have the tricky decision of deciding who they think this is. I'm not sure they would be able to produce the best themselves straight away, it seems like a risky move to me for a team that wants to win championships.

If I was in charge I think my first move would be to see whether Mercedes would be open to continuing to supply engines to McLaren. They produce the best engine at the minute and I'd put my money on a collaboration between Mercedes, McLaren and Mercedes-Benz High Performance Engines or whatever they're called doing the same again.

If that's not possible we're left with Renault, Ferrari and Cosworth out of the current manufacturers. I don't think any of those are really viable options (perhaps Renault?) so then they would be forced to look at the riskier options - making it themselves or tempting someone new in.

 

[Slyboogy]

Mclaren have a contract with Mercedes engine wise until 2015.

 

[sushifiesta]

I didn't know that, I'm not sure whether this makes their position easier or harder. Perhaps they can wait and see how good the Mercedes engine is, but if the Mercedes engine is so good that Mercedes GP/McLaren are the only teams in contention for the 2014 championship they may be reluctant to share it any more. Also, if the engine turns out to be rubbish the 2014 season would seem to be too late to start developing a new engine from scratch by themselves or with a new manufaturer. I know things move fast in F1 but surely they'd want more time?

 

[RasputinLives]

Mclaren have a contract with Mercedes engine wise until 2015.

I thought the contract was until 2013 but they had an option for another 2 years?

Tempting Honda back for 2014 exclusively would be the way forward

Have to say I agree with you on that one. Honda never stay out of F1 for long and would make sense for them to go back to Mclaren - Maybe throw Kobi in as a Mclaren driver to sweeten the deal?

The designing the engines themselves thing has me in two minds. I like the idea of Mclaren being independent and developing their own engine but at the same time its not going to come without development so could see them dipping down the field and wouldn't want them to go the same way as Williams

 

[Brogan]

Here's the McLaren press release regarding engines from 2009: http://cliptheapex.com/threads/mercedes-buy-brawn-gp.959/#post-12572

 

[Slyboogy]

I thought the contract was until 2013 but they had an option for another 2 years?

Nope it's for 2015, and then they have the option to carry on.

EDIT: Just read Brogan's article, it statest the same.

 

[Galahad]

If the engines for 2014 onwards are going to be homologated and frozen, then it should be no problem for McLaren to continue with Mercedes. On the other hand if in-season development is allowed, I can't see them continuing the relationship - Mercedes would probably keep all the best new bits for their own team, and leave McLaren a step behind.

They could set up their own engine facility in-house, or rebadge engines produced by someone else. They worked with Zytek, I think, on the KERS system? And Cosworth is always a possibility. Better still, why not buy Cosworth and invest to upgrade an existing F1-standard facility?

 

[sushifiesta]

I'm surprised we're not hearing something like "we need to recalibrate the wind tunnel" or "our simulator isn't simulating" from McLaren because recently it seems like none of the upgrades they bring are working and they appear to be getting left further and further behind Red Bull and Ferrari in the development race.

Always a risky game to draw conclusions from Fridays though, so I'm hoping that by writing this I'm guaranteeing a McLaren win on Sunday.

 

[RayInTorontoCanada]

... it seems like none of the upgrades they bring are working and they appear to be getting left further and further behind Red Bull and Ferrari...Always a risky game to draw conclusions from Fridays though...

Ya. It's funny how people are giving up on McLaren when only about a month ago - following Canada - they were regarded as having the fastest "race car" over three consecutive GPs (Spain-Monaco-Canada).

It's a shame they only won one of those races because, frankly, they ought to have won all three. McLaren didn't capitalize enough at those three events...and Hamilton, especially, didn't maximize his chances when the McLaren was there or thereabouts...and, as a result, they now find themselves taking unususal risks.

Needless to say the WDC is out of reach (realistically speaking) but that doesn't mean they can't win races. I won't discount a McLaren victory at Nurburgring quite yet.

 

[Cookinflatsix]

they were regarded as having the fastest "race car" over three consecutive GPs (Spain-Monaco-Canada).

They were regarded as having a car close on race pace to the Red Bull car. The efforts of the drivers helped to overcome the deficiency (visible in qualifying) in the actual race

Only those eager to accuse Lewis of not having done enough, or of being 'unnerved by Vettel' considered the Mclaren the fastest car

 

[RayInTorontoCanada]

... Only those eager to accuse Lewis of not having done enough, or of being 'unnerved by Vettel' considered the Mclaren the fastest car

Go look up quotes from McLaren themselves! They themselves said they had the "fastest race car" during those 3 consecutive GPs. Only a blind and half-brained baboon would want to argue with McLaren on that specific point of theirs.

Further, I certainly have not said or suggested anything about Hamilton being 'unnerved' by anyone. Nor would I even want to.

I very specifically said that Hamilton didn't maximize his chances over those three races in which McLaren themselves said they had the fastest "race" car. Period.

CFS, I have no interest in arguing about what you think I wrote. Cheers, mate. Hope Lewis does well tomorrow and Sunday!

 

[Cookinflatsix]

Ray, we have debated this several times in the past and I know your position and would therefore not provoke an argument

We have vigorously debated your opinion that the McLaren has been the faster race car since Abu Dhabi 2010 and that Vettel was making the difference.

Fastest race car never really means anything to the McLaren of the last 2 years due to how much less downforce it has round corners compared to Red Bull. A car can be 10 mph faster on the straight and get wasted over a lap if the other car is a Newey product.

Enjoy the weekend matey

 

[RayInTorontoCanada]

I don't have a huge memory for other debates relating to Abu Dhabi 2010 or Australia, Malaysia, China or Turkey in 2011, CFS.

I'm VERY SPECIFICALLY discussing Spain-Monaco-Canada in 2011...and, again, best wishes to Lewis and McLaren for qually and the GP.

 

[sushifiesta]

I'll be writing more gloomy posts on Fridays in the future i think .

The difference between Lewis and Jenson was massive though - there was a greater gap between them than between Kovalainen and Chandhok.

 

[RayInTorontoCanada]

Well, if you had two Buttons driving, then your gloomy Friday posts would be justified. Lucky for you there's a Hamilton in one of the cars!

 

[Cookinflatsix]

Seems like McLaren have Increased mechanical grip somehow, this has changed the overall balance, Lewis has been able to get the best out if it, taming understeer whereas Jenson has been defeated by it's increased oversteer

If that makes any sense

 

[sushifiesta]

A feature of McLarens of the last couple of years seems to be that they're lacking a bit of downforce but have excellent mechanical grip. I've never really been sure how a team can design their car to have better mechanical grip though because it all comes down to the tyre - I guess they have to fiddle with suspension settings etc. to extract as much from the tyre as possible. However, and forgive my bias, but what I was thinking is that maybe this 'excellent mechanical grip' is actually Lewis' driving. He has the reputation of being great on the brakes and fighting the car... just a thought.

 

[Mryzyz]

Now they've had a surprisingly good qualifying, it's only going to make it worse when they mess it up in the race tomorrow.

I'm betting they fill Lewis's tank up with diesel and somehow get laxatives in Buttons' drink dispensor.