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]

What if he does?
That doesn't imply Hamilton would win it if he was still part of the team.

McLaren should have won both titles this year, and they haven't.

If McLaren do build a car capable of winning the titles again then Button will have a much better chance next year than Hamilton had this year, simply because Pérez won't be in a position to take any points off Button, for various reasons.

 

[teabagyokel]

Fair enough...

 

[Brogan]

Of course that's not to say that Hamilton would have a much better chance of winning the WDC if he had stayed at McLaren.

Probably.

 

[pirateplunder]

^^^ Its true, but Hamilton would still be gutted knowing that he would have had a very good chance had he been at McLaren - some here may disagree but Hamilton would certainly be of the opinion that if Button could win it in that car he certainly would have.

However I don't see it as very likely, the chance that McLaren put together a championship winning car (fairly likely) dont stuff it up with poor technical and strategy (less likely) and that both Ferrari and Red Bull don't produce a car at least the McLaren's equal all seems highly unlikely.

 

[Il_leone]

Mclaren at the moment seems to suffer from their car being inconsistently quick during the last 3 seasons they've had periods where they are very strong to moments when they are off the pace

 

[Senna's_right_foot]

Yesterday sums up McLaren's season - They win the race yet are beaten to 2nd place in the WCC by Ferrari. Even with Filipe Massa in one of their cars they still beat McLaren . I'll give Button the benefit of the doubt that he didn't know they had finished 3rd when he said it was a perfect end to the season.

 

[Hamberg]

I think he meant it was perfect to end the season winning it. Nothing other than 1st and 2nd in WDC and 1st in WCC is perfect.

 

[Brogan]

I'll give Button the benefit of the doubt that he didn't know they had finished 3rd

He did know because he commented on it on the podium, saying how they hadn't been able to beat Ferrari.

 

[Senna's_right_foot]

Brogan - ah, didn't see that. In that case, in his defence I suppose a perfect end to the season is different to a perfect season. My overwhelming feeling is that McLaren should really have done an awful lot better when you consider the car both drivers had at their disposal this year. I really hope things change next year, but the strange thing is for the first time for a good few years i'm looking ahead to a new season in hope rather than expectation.

 

[Slyboogy]

3rd in the constructors after having the best car for the majority of the season?

They even make Mercedes' effort look less shabby!

 

[chris1981]

Am I correct that they got the most poles and wins this season?
If so to finish 3rd in WCC and 4th and 5th in the drivers is a poor reflection IMO.

 

[Brogan]

Yes.

http://cliptheapex.com/pages/2012-statistics/

Only 28 points finishes though, 1 less than Renault.
Less podiums than both Red Bull and Ferrari.

When was the last time a team which should have won both WDC and WCC won neither?

 

[Viscount]

Brogan 2007?

 

[ExtremeNinja]

Ha ha.

Why 2007, of course, Brogan.

 

[siffert_fan]

A huge risk definitely.
If he doesn't win a WDC with Mercedes over the next four years though he'll be no worse off than he has been for the last four years.

But what if he wins zero races in that span? Given Mercs record to date, that seems quite possible.

 

[siffert_fan]

I just wonder if McLarens set-up and, indeed, design tasks won't be easier next year. Button and Hamilton have such VASTLY different driving styles that building a car to suit both had to have been extremely challenging.

 

[ExtremeNinja]

Yep, but who is going to bring the results in when the car isn't good?

In all seriousness, I agree on car development. It should be an easier job to build something that Button can perform at a consistent level in.

 

[Il_leone]

If people are going to savage Mclaren again then I will point the finger at the hiring of Sam Michael whom I've never rated at Williams - they slumped whilst he was technical director and thought he is not going to improve Mclaren and sure he has not

Unfortunately for Mclaren they had the best car but never maximised it with operational errors and mechanical problems

they aint the first team and wonlt be the last

 

[ExtremeNinja]

On form, they may be the next, though!

 

[The Artist.....]

@il leone

I think it is a little harsh trying to blame Sam Michael- remember that he was hired last season to try and get rid of operational errors and to do things like speed up pitstops! - in the early part of the season, mclaren really were farcical, but this has improved no end- which I do believe can be attributed to Sam Michael... Possibly... McLaren may have had problems this season, but certain things are moving in the right direction... Unfortunately quality control has gone the opposite direction!