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.)

 

[Lewywo4]

I really hope that Lewis gives alot of thought regarding both Schumacher and Rosberg's qualifying positions today during Q3, and compare that with his own times, before making any commitment to sign on with Mercedes for next season.

Lewis was absolutely brilliant today!

 

[Mephistopheles]

Surely it is next years car that matters to him not this years.....

 

[Lewywo4]

That's more of a reason for Lewis to remain with Mclaren.

 

[The Artist.....]

So, in the last 2 races, McLaren have had 2 race failures.

These failures have cost Button 15 points and Hamilton 25 (Net points), and given Vettel 7 extra points, and Webber 1 extra point.

Without these failures, McLaren would now be leading the constructors championship, and its drivers would be 2nd and 5th in the WDC (Instead of 4th and 6th),.....

MAkes you think!

 

[Jen]

Might make you think but, hopefully, understand what F1 is all about.

 

[The Artist.....]

Jen - I know that it's what F1 is all about - but we have become so used to bullet-proof reliability over the last 10 years, that whenever teams have "unusual" failures then they have a massive effect... - Just look at Alonso, he's only retired once this season, and is leading the championship - despite not having the fastest car....

Undoubtedly, what it shows is that at the moment, McLaren have the fastest car, and unless something goes wrong, should find themselves easily on top of the WCC at the end of the season.

 

[Jen]

Fastest car, but not the reliability, it would seem - the best we can say is that both drivers have been affected by it. Nothing is perfect and the more you stretch the boundaries the more something will fail.

 

[siffert_fan]

So, in the last 2 races, McLaren have had 2 race failures.

These failures have cost Button 15 points and Hamilton 25 (Net points), and given Vettel 7 extra points, and Webber 1 extra point.

Without these failures, McLaren would now be leading the constructors championship, and its drivers would be 2nd and 5th in the WDC (Instead of 4th and 6th),.....

MAkes you think!

And what would the standings be without the RB alternator failures?

 

[Incubus]

...and what would the standings if so-and-so had built a faster car, a better rear wing etc.....

 

[Mephistopheles]

What would the standings be if nothing happened to any car ever.....? No crashes no breakdowns no pit stop problems no penalties no nothing....

Edit

Actually scrub that because if racing was like that I wouldn't bother watching it, I'd go and watch my beard grow or something...

 

[F1ang-o]

Grimm......but forget the fairy tales...some things are avoidable
Alonso is leading the WDC...because he has NOUS...he can think what outcomes can be.....work out a probability...& act on it..
IMO that's why he is called the 'complete' driver very shrewd.....
I

 

[Olivier]

Prost named 3rd best McLaren driver

http://www.mclaren.com/page/mclarens-50-greatest-drivers-8

 

[teabagyokel]

Who is left other than Senna?

 

[The Artist.....]

I couldn't see Hakkinen on the list.....

However, I really can't justify Hakkinen being placed above Prost in that list - you only need to count up championships won for McLaren - 3 for Prost, 2 for Hakkinen - and at least 1 of those championships in what was certainly not the best car (1986) - and probably 1985 as well....

Similarly, I can't see why Coulthard is placed well above Raikonnen - ok so Coulthard was there longer, but at all times when they were in the team together, Raikonnen was better than Coulthard!

 

[Josh]

Häkkinen is the 2nd best so I guess Senna is the best...

 

[The Artist.....]

Josh....

Do you truly believe that Hakkinen was better at McLaren than Prost? Certainly I don't! - Still, I guess these lists are always going to be subjective, and dependent on who writes them! McLaren can't STILL be smarting over 1989, can they???

 

[Josh]

No I don't, and I don't understand why Coulthard is placed at no. 8 either. But that's what the list says!

 

[Viscount]

People define greatness differently. The list isn't about who was the quickest, it's based on their contribution to the team which isn't just all about their on track results.

 

[landogeorgelewis1]

Hakkinen named the 2nd best Mclaren driver .

 

[Incubus]

Josh....

Do you truly believe that Hakkinen was better at McLaren than Prost? Certainly I don't! - Still, I guess these lists are always going to be subjective, and dependent on who writes them! McLaren can't STILL be smarting over 1989, can they???

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

Call me a cynic but it should be remembered Hakkinen still is commercially linked to Mercedes.