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.)

 

[FB]

I though all F1 cars were Slyboogy

 

[Brogan]

For those of you who haven't seen it, this is the video McLaren showed at the launch of the MP4-28.

http://www.mclaren.com/formula1/page/mclaren-50--courage-1

 

[Speshal]

Quite moving that.

 

[Il_leone]

Hamilton did say the Mercedes simulator is not quite as good as Mclaren's

Button's being testing in the simulator...if the car does what he likes then he could be in with a good shout of the title...a big IF

 

[racecub]

He said mercedes had three simulators and the latest was like the McLaren one....but he needed to 'dial it in'. Hope he's done some happy dialling! Eeeks! People keep straying me off the straight and narrow in the McLaren thread!! McLaren have a very good dialled in Simulator

 

[JamesHunt]

For those of you who haven't seen it, this is the video McLaren showed at the launch of the MP4-28.

Love it!

 

[RickD]

Well, apart from early problems with the fuel pump (yes, it has been redesigned from last years failures), McLaren are looking quick on their runs with Jenson in the driving seat.

 

[Bill Boddy]

There was a shot of Button having a hot drink on a cold day, but Rosberg had a BBQ instead.

 

[sushifiesta]

Pat Fry, Lewis Hamilton and Paddy Lowe have all left McLaren within the last three years. Just normal turnover of staff or should McLaren be doing more to keep their key personnel? Alternatively, are McLaren doing something to drive these people away?

 

[RasputinLives]

Have Mclaren won anything in the last three years? Maybe the personnel is being reshaped to make up for it. All three of them are excellent in their field but it doesn't matter if you have the best screwdriver in the world if you need a spanner does it?

Too me Mclaren has felt like its had too many roosters in the hen house for a while now.

 

[Brogan]

Button's comments in this article are interesting: www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/105709

He wasn't bothered about Hamilton leaving (unsurprisingly - one suspects that was his aim all along) but considers Lowe leaving to be a big problem, especially for his future in the team.

 

[The Pits]

At best the instability is an issue, when the team should be concentrating on development routes and design for 2014, that said, rather now than the end of the year, with Lowe able to take valuable knowledge with him.

It does seem like Lowe is going to come late to the 2014 party, which could create its own issues.

 

[ZakspeedYakspeed]

The Pits... McLaren left no option but to park him on the ride on lawnmower at Woking and deactivate his badge access to the "2014" floor... who knows what Lewis took across (i.e. concepts... not documents... ) ... it will be interesting to see what happens at Mercedes after Lowe is permitted to start working... ear to the ground for some design path changes...

Lowe had been at McLaren for quite some years... and the challenge to re-tool Mercedes from 2015 and beyond must be considered a prime opportunity... I have every confidence in Goss and the next director of engineering they promote... technical dept. strength is a McLaren strength...

Melbourne... Button will be on it... McLaren will be on it...

 

[Il_leone]

sushifiesta

Lewis is leaving Mclaren the same reason Kimi left let down too often by the car and some team errors

Paddy Lowe - obviously promised more money and a top job at Mercedes - a recognised manufacturer and working with Lewis Hamilton - is not that a big incentive then?

Pat Fry - been at Mclaren long enough and probably went to Ferrari for the same reason as Lowe and working with Alonso - is not that a big incentive then?

The next logical steps for Fry and Lowe would eventually be team principal and at Mclaren neither are going to succeed Whitmarsh are they ?

 

[Il_leone]

At Mclaren they only employ the best engineers and they are plenty around

- they did not fall away when Newey left they've always found a way to regroup

Tim Goss with Jonathan Neale will ensure things carry on with little disruption

Mclaren had no choice to put Lowe on garden leave which is well within their rights

I wonder if Button might have a word with Whitmarsh about getting Ross BRawn from Mercedes or not

 

[F1Yorkshire]

Brawn and Whitmarsh are both used to the leadership roles. I couldn't see one work for the other.

 

[Il_leone]

F1Yorkshire

I know given Ron Dennis probably hates BRawn for their wars between Ferrari and Mclaren

It was a thought to get Ross to be the strategy man given Mclaren did bungle up a few times last season but then he would stepping on Sam Michaels' shoes as well

Maybe Brawn could join Lotus his old team at Enstone ?

 

[Chad Stewarthill]

Il_leone Mclaren may not have 'fallen away' after Newey left, but how many drivers' or constructors' championships have they won since he went in 2006?

 

[RickD]

Chad Stewarthill - Is that a trick question, how about 1 more than they won in the previous 6 years?

 

[Chad Stewarthill]

It wasn't exactly meant to be a trick question (answer: 1) RickD , but you make a good point too.

I wonder if that's got anything to do with the number of recent high-profile departures, or are they just part of the usual industry merry-go-round?