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]

The thought has crossed my mind several times...

 

[The Pits]

There are other drivers? my goodness, I have been missing out all these years.

 

[Hamberg]

Yeah Trulli has been doing really well apparently in Toyota

 

[sportsman]

Brogan I logged in simply to like your post.

 

[F1ang-o]

I always find your constant dissing of DC a bit odd as Lewis himself has nothing but praise for him - indeed I'm sure there was something in his book about not being able to meet a nicer guy than DC and how ge'll never forget how DC treated him as an equal when he was a youngster hanging around in the Mclaren garage.

The book was written afterLH 2008 season.If you watched the BBC forum you would see the constant digs DC has at LH & the biggin up of JB is pukeworthy.

Quote number 2 treatment all you want and unfair this and unfair that - The fact is that Lewis published sensative company information to the public and you can;t make an excuse for that. You can claim he was naive or pushed etc etc but the fact remains in any other job that is an instant sackable offence - so why you would think it was odd that people would speculate over Lewis annoying the team or that he was going somewhere else is beyond me Ang.
The info was of no use to anyone else....


Personally I hope he does leave Mclaren just so I don't have to read about how much they mis-treat this driver they've sponsored and groomed through out his entire career before in an unprecendented move for the team giving him a race seat as a rookie before champion him 6 seasons and uping his contact so he's paid one of the biggest wages in the sport.

I did not bring this up now....you did.. It seems that you think he was given something he didn't deserve, we have discussed this before. I have only said since JB has been in the team, things have change. Turkey 2010 was an eye opener.

The Sauber drivers are proving that they are not really up to the machinery they have, this cannot be said for the machinery LH. was put in...in 2007

 

[ExtremeNinja]

Perez not up to it? Off topic but, what?

 

[Hamberg]

I have only said since JB has been in the team, things have change. Turkey 2010 was an eye opener.

*cough* Germany 2008 *cough*

 

[Incubus]

I did not bring this up now....you did.. It seems that you think he was given something he didn't deserve, we have discussed this before. I have only said since JB has been in the team, things have change. Turkey 2010 was an eye opener.

----------------------------------------------------------

Funny that but I could have sworn team orders that day meant Hamilton should keep the lead. Button didn't quite get the message right but was swiftly instructed to let Hamilton re-pass him....

 

[RasputinLives]

When did I ever say or even imply he was given something he didn't deserve? Are you reading my posts? Why am I bothering?

*goes back to the Jerome D'ambrosio thread*

 

[F1ang-o]

 

[RasputinLives]

 

[ExtremeNinja]

Incubus

 

[Incubus]

Maybe we should now exclusively communicate on this thread through the use of smileys?
Would be quicker and achieve the same.

 

[F1ang-o]

Perez not up to it? Off topic but, what?

Ferrari have said Perez not ready, to have Massa's seat. But I didn't mention him specifically

I will try to find who said that about the Sauber drivers, might have been Martin Brundle.

 

[ExtremeNinja]

The Sauber drivers are proving that they are not really up to the machinery they have, this cannot be said for the machinery LH. was put in...in 2007

 

[Incubus]

 

[RasputinLives]

 

[sobriety]

Maybe we should now exclusively communicate on this thread through the use of smileys?
Would be quicker and achieve the same.

 

[Mephistopheles]

 

[Mephistopheles]

Beaten to it...