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.)
 
Like all good F1 teams who have fallen on hard times, suddenly the rules need to be fair and equal. Somehow I don't recall team McLaren being that pro equality 10 years ago.

As one of the lead teams in FOTA they were at the forefront of scrapping the proposed budget cap and organising the breakaway series.
 
Probably he has an offer to be the main technical director/ chief designer.

Williams no doubt is an obvious choice and the other being Renault
 
I think Peter Prodromou was one half of the team whilst Pat was the engineering director but if James Key is having more say then Pat might fancy the Williams job instead
 
ask a stupid question get a stupid answer at McLaren on Sunday
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The picture in our paper today of a McLaren super car said it sold for £19 million at auction. Is that more expensive than a McLaren F1 car ? And, does it go faster than a McLaren F1 car.
 
The picture in our paper today of a McLaren super car said it sold for £19 million at auction. Is that more expensive than a McLaren F1 car ? And, does it go faster than a McLaren F1 car.

Top speed of an F1 is around 220mph, though apparently some seem to reckon it's capable of around 230mph. I think the fastest F1 cars measured (according to this article - Montoya in 2005, Bottas in a Williams (!) in 2016 we're looking around 370km/h so around 220mph, Similar top speeds.
 
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