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.)

 

[Galahad]

Should be good preparation for F1 2040.

 

[Mephistopheles]

That's McLaren for you Galahad always thinking ahead instead of concentrating on today...

 

[Brogan]

They'll still fuck up and lose to Red Bull and/or Ferrari

 

[Galahad]

"McLaren Formula E driver looks for a new challenge after repeated electrocutions damage faith in team"

 

[Brogan]

Lewis Hamilton Jr. loses time at his first pit stop after the crew install the battery back to front, resulting in him going backwards out of his pit box.

 

[teabagyokel]

Brogan - Reverse the polarity!

 

[Mephistopheles]

The Jenson Button Jr, knockers say their granny drives a milk float faster than that....

Edit

I'm allowed to say that cuz I is a Jenson fan....

 

[ExtremeNinja]

McLaren build car of transparent aluminium, save a whale and stock up on dilithium crystals - all on their way to victory and beyond with Buzz Vettalonsilton. Nanoo nanoo.

 

[teabagyokel]

That'd be true if his team boss Martron Briathorninicali didn't favour his team-mate Jensamon Piquereutemost.

 

[racecub]

Oh dear. More unreliability for Mclaren. This really is shocking. Buttons turn this time. Oh dear.

 

[Mephistopheles]

It could have been worse it could have actually mattered championship wise,

 

[Brogan]

It's due to all the other errors which is the reason why it doesn't Mephistopheles

Although don't forget they are still fighting for their WCC position.

 

[F1ang-o]

On Sky today,a film was shown of Georgie... in the Macca garage...assisting with re-spaying Lewis'car, & she signed the back of his car seat...
Apparently the cars are re-sprayed between all the races...
Anyway...today she called in the garage to look at her handy work & was told by Sam Michaels that Jenson had been given the chassis that she worked on.....

 

[Quintessentially]

Ron looked totally pissed off. You hope he'd get on with it and hand MW his P45.

 

[Mephistopheles]

I know Brogan but it is very hard to convey irony in word form....

 

[The Artist.....]

Ron looked totally pissed off. You hope he'd get on with it and hand MW his P45.

Yes, because reliability was so much better in 2005/2006 when Ron was in charge.....

 

[Mephistopheles]

It is always a different thing that breaks though isn't it so it is hard to get a handle on it when it is nothing specific...

 

[F1ang-o]

Ted Kravitz on Sky has just said they will be showing an ..'.incendiary' interview with Ron Dennis..re Lewis leaving McLaren.
He added that Ron didn't seem too keen on Fuller...don't know anyone who is..
Great to see Anthony Hamilton at the race....bubbling over with happiness/pride at Lewis'win.

 

[Brogan]

A very interesting comment from Whitmarsh related to Ferrari's tactical gearbox penalty at the US GP and how it related to Alonso's time at McLaren.

"I think it was quite a tough thing to do personally. I'm not criticising anyone for what they do. Team principals have to decide how they run their teams and it's very clear that Ferrari are very focused on Fernando. You all have to go racing the way you see fit.

"In fairness it works for Fernando because, lest we forget, when Fernando was with us it was not doing those things that meant that Fernando left us [at the end of 2007]."

That suggests Alonso only left the team because he didn't get the outright number one status he wanted and the team weren't prepared to sabotage Hamilton for his personal gains.

http://www1.skysports.com/formula-1/news/12433/8259580/

 

[ExtremeNinja]

...something that I almost despised Alonso for at the time and am now in complete awe of. He absolutely belongs at Ferrari and McLaren were a poor fit. In his context at Ferrari, I now find these things totally acceptable.