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.)

 

[Viscount]

racecub though all these salary are really just guesswork, Hamilton has been saying since mid-2011 that he wants to do far less PR days. McLaren get a lot of money from their sponsors and investors, so perhaps if their initial offer was less than what his teammate receives it was because Hamilton contractually wanted to do less PR and so from McLaren's perspective if he's going to do less work generating income for the team, he's only entitled to a smaller proportion of the money that those PR days generate from the sponsors?

As for Perez, he's had a very marketable year and perhaps McLaren were not the only team trying to sign him. Presumably he's willing to do all the PR McLaren want for the opportunities they believe he brings and so will be remunerated accordingly.

 

[racecub]

Perhaps. Though McLaren have said less PR was non negotiable, whatever salary was offered, the PR days stayed. And I personally, rather suspect that Perez would have signed for peanuts had they been offered....... (Not saying they should have been)

 

[Hamberg]

The first rookie to score 9 consecutive podiums in his first 9 races and miss out on the WDC by 1 point?

I know this, but when Hamilton was given his lucrative contract was he not young and inexperienced?

 

[Bill Boddy]

In February 2007 Hamilton was an inexperienced F1 novice. He had won the GP2 series but as we have seen GP2 winners do not always make their mark immediately when they join F1. McLaren were taking a chance but the alternatives were probably thought of as not WDC material (PDR?), they took the gamble and now we know that it worked.

 

[Bill Boddy]

Hamberg, it appears that you were quicker and more succinct.

 

[Hamberg]

Bill Boddy only because I appear to have failed in my attempt the first time around!

 

[Brogan]

I fail to see how comparing Hamilton who was a rookie to Pérez who will be in his third year when he joins McLaren is valid.

Having said that, I can confidently state that Pérez will in no way at all match Hamilton's accomplishments in his first year.

If he does I will eat this website...

 

[Hamberg]

Because racecubs argument as to why Perez shouldn't be paid anymore than peanuts is because he is young and inexperienced. Well so was Hamilton, nobody knew what he was going to achieve in that first year yet he was given a pretty good contract.

Besides, given McLaren't form of late having a car that finishes that many races in a row would be an accomplishment.

 

[Brogan]

He shouldn't be paid any more simply because he's not very good...

 

[ExtremeNinja]

Hamilton had done lots and lots of testing in the McLaren when such things were allowed and had already proven himself to be a good prospect before he had even turned a wheel in his first race.

 

[Jen]

So the crux of the question is 'do McLaren want to save money?'. In these cash strapped times, that maybe be a possibility, but if that meant losing your 'best' driver, it might not have even come into the equation!

I can't find anything on line that has hinted/suggested what Perez's salary might be, nor anything that tells us definitively what Hamilton will receive at Mercedes

So I still think all figures are conjecture racecub, whether they be past, present or future, and, as such, shouldn't even be cited!

 

[ExtremeNinja]

It seems to me that McLaren were trying to retain a premium product at a bargain-bucket price based on their view of supply and demand in the market. They underestimated or mis-read the market and ended up losing out. They are now paying a premium price for a product whose quality still remains largely unknown. They have shot themselves in the foot with that but of course all they can do now is try to pick up the pieces and make the most of the situation they find themselves in. It is no sure bet, by any means, and so only time will tell if they have managed to successfully repair the damage of their own making.

 

[KekeTheKing]

I thought it was clear to most who were paying close attention that McLaren were undoubtedly trying to low-ball Lewis. Ron's attitude in Montreal immediately after that stunning victory was a signal that no matter what Hamilton did on track, he would have to take a vastly reduced pay-package to continue driving for him.

edit - This was in response to a now extinct post. Ninja said it all the first time really....

 

[Brogan]

I would agree that Ron thought he had the upper hand - he said as much several times. He assumed Hamilton had nowhere else to go and used that to his advantage.

His absolute mis-reading of the situation just days before Hamilton announced his departure (stating Hamilton would definitely be with the team next year) and his subsequent reaction said it all.

 

[pirateplunder]

^^^McLaren themselves have said that even their final offer was below that of Mercedes (although Mercedes deny the amount quoted by McLaren) let alone the earlier offers. Bargain bucket is clearly overly subjective but equally there can only be two options.

1 McLaren did undervalue Hamilton by underestimating the market and have lost out, possibly because of it (you'ld assume being undervalued would be part of the equation in Lewis' mind at the very least)
2 McLaren deliberately undervalued Hamilton because they weren't that fussed in keeping him

Either way the last few races have demonstrated how stupid (quite frankly) McLaren have been. In my mind it's unquestionable that they have a significantly less strong line up for 2013 than 2012, Not to mention a competitor (and in reality quite likely to be one of their main competitors next year if they fail to match Red Bull and Ferrari) now has a better driver line up.

McLaren now have no choice but to suggest that they offered Hamilton the most amount of money they can in order not to loose face - the only acceptable reason for Lewis leaving McLaren (in terms of McLarens management) is that he's on a ridiculous contract from Mercedes which commercially McLaren couldn't possibly accept matching. Thats the line they have to push. It also makes Lewis look money hungry and provides sympathy to McLaren. On the other side Mercedes don't want to be seen to have paid massively over the odds for Lewis so will naturally low ball any estimates - although there is a slight upside in letting people believe you've paid lots as it makes you look serious. Equally Lewis doesn't want to look like a driver who puts money over the chance of winning so will also downplay any money values. The summary of that is, you can't believe anything - although I would add that I believe McLaren less as they have more to loose.

 

[Brogan]

I posted it not long ago but it's worth mentioning again that Ron said it was an inability to agree on sponsor commitments which ultimately forced Hamilton's hand.

http://www1.skysports.com/formula-1...nsor-commitments-led-to-Lewis-Hamilton-s-exit

 

[KekeTheKing]

What's worse? Losing your ace because you want him to be at more Vodafone, BOSS, Johnnie Walker, Mobil or Lucozade events etc.... or treating him like an ultimately replaceable commodity with no where else to go. Both incredibly foolhardy if you ask me.

And in that same article Ron says that no driver is bigger than the team. I agree. But Senna, Prost, Lauda and Rosberg never had anything near the off-track commitments that he is requiring now. They had bigger and better things to do, mainly going fast.

 

[Slyboogy]

So people despised Alonso for asking for Number 1 treatment at McLaren as it was unaccpetable, but now at Ferrari it's 'totally acceptable'?

 

[Jen]

OK, so let's ignore the fact that we don't have the faintest idea what the basic salary is or the PR commitments - lots of soundbites and hearsay, but nothing concrete; and ponder the highly circumspect theory that McLaren, knowing they were about to lose the 'great one' would be happy to have his talent corralled in a lesser team - if only for a season!

 

[Hamberg]

I have to say I thought Hamilton and Whitmarsh looked like they had a great relationship on that podium. Whilst I'm not sure how Ron would deal with the situation, I don't think it's beyond the realms of possibility that Hamilton will go back to McLaren in a couple of seasons should the time be right. Alonso went back to Renault.