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.)

 

[Mephistopheles]

I guess that puts paid to the "It broke because he hit the wall." theory....

 

[Jen]

It could possibly put pay to a lot of other theories as well. We live in hope

 

[The Artist.....]

Mephistopheles - that was exactly what I thought!

 

[Quintessentially]

Hamberg

Are you saying they should've changed Hamilton's gearbox at Singapore?

 

[Mephistopheles]

Quintessentially I believe you will find her comment was tongue in cheek, and didn't suggest anything....

 

[Hamberg]

What Meph said, I reiterate my true feelings on this whole topic. Shit happens.

 

[Brogan]

The latest from Whitmarsh on going for both the WCC and WDC titles: http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/103029

 

[Senna's_right_foot]

http://www.gpupdate.net/en/f1-news/...gpupdate&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=news

 

[Hamberg]

Brilliant

 

[FB]

A spokesman from Ferrari said "We haven't worked out how to do this yet so are going to bitch and moan about everyone else until we sus it out"

 

[EvilWhippet]

That video from 07...man that was a fun season.

I miss Ron Dennis. I'm not in the WHITMARSH IS SATAN camp but Ron had this lovely aura about him that rather reminded me of Terrence Stamp's character, Wilson, in The Limey.

 

[Kewee]

Ron had this lovely aura about him

 

[Incubus]

Dennis had that lovely aura eh? I could do with a crate of odour-eaters myself to be brutally honest.

 

[FB]

I have to admit that RD had an air of unflappability about him, never seemed phased by anything and always in control. Perhaps too much in control, a little emotion now and again wouldn't have gone amiss.

 

[ZakspeedYakspeed]

That video from 07...man that was a fun season.

I miss Ron Dennis. I'm not in the WHITMARSH IS SATAN camp but Ron had this lovely aura about him that rather reminded me of Terrence Stamp's character, Wilson, in The Limey.

TELL 'IM I"M COMING.....

Great film...

 

[Quintessentially]

They had a good package when they got to Japan, they looked strong on Friday, but it sort of slipped away from them, and they don't really know why.
On Friday, they had two different floors on the two cars and two different rear wing set-ups. Often, when you separate two cars like that and don't focus on one package, you end up doing half a job.

Gary Anderson's column

 

[Brogan]

So they had no baseline against which to test alternative configurations and set-ups.

McLaren of late never cease to amaze me how they fail to get the basics right time and time again.

 

[cider_and_toast]

Hmmm, this late in the season to end up chasing your tails does seem a little strange. Red Bull clearly have momentum and have Mclaren spooked which I think has lead McLaren down a few rabbit holes when in fact there hasn't been too much wrong with the car in the first place. Either of the end of seasons pots now seem further and further out of reach.

 

[Quintessentially]

Hard to find a reason why they would effectively run two different cars. Maybe they’re treating the rest of the season as a test session who knows.

 

[ZakspeedYakspeed]

Hungary... normal gauge rubber... not so easy to switch on keep switched on... road course w/street circuit characterstics
Belgium... special thin gauge rubber... easier to switch on and keep switched on... power circuit...
Monza...special thin gauge rubber... easier to switch on and keep switched on... power circuit...
Singapore... normal gauge rubber... not so easy to switch on keep switched on... street circuit...
Suzuka... normal gauge rubber... not so easy to switch on keep switched on... chassis circuit...mechanical grip circuit...