2022 - McLaren Formula 1 Team

[101FlyingDutchman]

Same. I can only see at best, just holding onto the front of the midfield.
That in itself would be a small miracle as I don’t expect Alpine and AM to stand still. Until we get all of our own facilities up and running we aren’t in any race to catch up towards the front of the grid

[Ben1980]

I think we will be much similar to this season. I think we will be tight with Alpine and ahead if the rest comfortably. Don't see anyone catching the big 3.

[diffuser]

I think McLaren will be closer to the top 3 but they will get solid competition from Alpine, Aston and Haas for best of the rest.

[AR3-GP]

I think McLaren will be closer to the top 3 but they will get solid competition from Alpine, Aston and Haas for best of the rest.

Haas? Maybe for the first 2-3 races? Haas in-season development leaves something to be desired.

[Mansell89]

I think McLaren will be closer to the top 3 but they will get solid competition from Alpine, Aston and Haas for best of the rest.

Any reason for the optimism, Diffuser?

Not doubting you at all btw- just a worried fan having heard some of the negative rumblings!

I did wonder if the 15mm minimum height rise for the floor might help us and sort of bring some natural lap time? Given our original concept very much avoided porpoising in comparison to the likes of Ferrari and Merc, I wondered if we might be more comfortable in designing a car with more ground clearance?

[diffuser]

I think McLaren will be closer to the top 3 but they will get solid competition from Alpine, Aston and Haas for best of the rest.

Any reason for the optimism, Diffuser?

Not doubting you at all btw- just a worried fan having heard some of the negative rumblings!

I did wonder if the 15mm minimum height rise for the floor might help us and sort of bring some natural lap time? Given our original concept very much avoided porpoising in comparison to the likes of Ferrari and Merc, I wondered if we might be more comfortable in designing a car with more ground clearance?

I'm not optimistic just realistic. Not saying anything different than what happened in 2022.

With regards to the top 3, the rule of diminishing returns means the slower cars have more low hanging fruit gains. Just a guess.

[diffuser]

I think McLaren will be closer to the top 3 but they will get solid competition from Alpine, Aston and Haas for best of the rest.

Haas? Maybe for the first 2-3 races? Haas in-season development leaves something to be desired.

They will not be running out of money in 2023 and they have access to all of Ferrari's infrastructure, processes and share alot of their personnel.

[the EDGE]

I think McLaren will be closer to the top 3 but they will get solid competition from Alpine, Aston and Haas for best of the rest.

Haas? Maybe for the first 2-3 races? Haas in-season development leaves something to be desired.

They will not be running out of money in 2023 and they have access to all of Ferrari's infrastructure, processes and share alot of their personnel.

What makes you say money will not be an issue?

[ScottR267]

Haas? Maybe for the first 2-3 races? Haas in-season development leaves something to be desired.

They will not be running out of money in 2023 and they have access to all of Ferrari's infrastructure, processes and share alot of their personnel.

What makes you say money will not be an issue?

Haas have a new title sponsor which they confirmed will allow them to run up to the budget cap

[diffuser]

Haas? Maybe for the first 2-3 races? Haas in-season development leaves something to be desired.

They will not be running out of money in 2023 and they have access to all of Ferrari's infrastructure, processes and share alot of their personnel.

What makes you say money will not be an issue?

They signed Moneygram as a new title sponsor.

[BMMR61]

Stella lowering expectations is safe tactical ploy to not undermine his job security. The 2022 baseline and ongoing delay to the approved in 2019 tunnel are the main reasons for pessimism. Other side of equation includes what should be two of the quickest drivers (if Oscar lives up to expectations) and a strong team culture developed by Seidl. Also the tendency for reducing gaps with unchanged rules could see McLaren get back to within about a second in 2023. I’m still confounded how the team lost it’s way after great consecutive races at Monza and Sochi in 2021, really a big drop off in results after 2.5 seasons of solid progress. Overall I think we should be in the fight with Renno for fourth albeit significantly closer to Ferrari especially as they look like a team going back to old ways.

[Mansell89]

Stella lowering expectations is safe tactical ploy to not undermine his job security. The 2022 baseline and ongoing delay to the approved in 2019 tunnel are the main reasons for pessimism. Other side of equation includes what should be two of the quickest drivers (if Oscar lives up to expectations) and a strong team culture developed by Seidl. Also the tendency for reducing gaps with unchanged rules could see McLaren get back to within about a second in 2023. I’m still confounded how the team lost it’s way after great consecutive races at Monza and Sochi in 2021, really a big drop off in results after 2.5 seasons of solid progress. Overall I think we should be in the fight with Renno for fourth albeit significantly closer to Ferrari especially as they look like a team going back to old ways.

I think Monza and Sochi suited the 2021 package perfectly - we had a very efficient/low drag car didn’t we and those two tracks in particular really suited us.

I guess I hadn’t really thought about Stella just steadying expectation - I really hope we confound the critics- it’s a big year this year to see just how much teams learnt in the first year of new regs.

[the EDGE]

When getting depressed in the winter just bear in mind…

It’s not just McLaren who haven’t won a title in 14 years… 7 other teams haven’t also, including Ferrari!

And for most, it’s been a hell of a lot longer

I’ve lost count of the times the media, fans, and even the teams themselves have talked a team up, only for them to fall flat on their face, so now i sit back, relax, and let all the BS flow straight past me, whilst I look forward to a season of great action, wherever McLaren end up

[diffuser]

Stella lowering expectations is safe tactical ploy to not undermine his job security. The 2022 baseline and ongoing delay to the approved in 2019 tunnel are the main reasons for pessimism. Other side of equation includes what should be two of the quickest drivers (if Oscar lives up to expectations) and a strong team culture developed by Seidl. Also the tendency for reducing gaps with unchanged rules could see McLaren get back to within about a second in 2023. I’m still confounded how the team lost it’s way after great consecutive races at Monza and Sochi in 2021, really a big drop off in results after 2.5 seasons of solid progress. Overall I think we should be in the fight with Renno for fourth albeit significantly closer to Ferrari especially as they look like a team going back to old ways.

Seidl said at the end of last year that the Brake problem they had exposed a shortage in engineers(they let too many go I presume for the CAP). He said the Brake problem coupled with the Engeering shortage has probably left them on the back foot for 2023 car, dispite having hired the required engineers.


Yeah McLaren absolutly need a good year from Oscar But there are lots of question marks over at Alpine too, with Alonso's absence there. I've suggested often that it appeareed that Alonso was pulling Ocon around. That Ocon may never have found the form that he did without Alonso data to look at. One of those two need to lead and I'm not sure any of the two are capable. They just might be two very good Number twos. Ocon's statement of Alpine not needing Alonso cause he was doing all the simulator kind of left me shocked. Here is Ocon doing all the simulator work but when they show at the tracks, Alonso is on it right away while Ocon is searching for form. At Aston, Stroll is never gonna be more than a number 2, the question is just how good of a number two can he be? Can he be good enough to stay close enough to Alonso to pull the team into 4th if the car is there.

[mwillems]

Stella lowering expectations is safe tactical ploy to not undermine his job security. The 2022 baseline and ongoing delay to the approved in 2019 tunnel are the main reasons for pessimism. Other side of equation includes what should be two of the quickest drivers (if Oscar lives up to expectations) and a strong team culture developed by Seidl. Also the tendency for reducing gaps with unchanged rules could see McLaren get back to within about a second in 2023. I’m still confounded how the team lost it’s way after great consecutive races at Monza and Sochi in 2021, really a big drop off in results after 2.5 seasons of solid progress. Overall I think we should be in the fight with Renno for fourth albeit significantly closer to Ferrari especially as they look like a team going back to old ways.

I don't think that at this level Stella can make comments based on how to best secure his job. His one eye will be on managing fan and media expectation to ensure the team don't feel the pressure and ire from those parties if they don't live up to expectations, and to make it easier to exceed fans expectations. And probably so he can feel he is building an honest relationship with those who support the team. It may also show his confidence in the process that they will take to ultimately get closer by the end of the year. It's basically a Mikel Arteta kind of statement "Trust the process".

The fact this his interests on playing down expectations will almost always align with the interests of the team and staff doesn't make this about him and I highly doubt he would have been promoted by Zak if he had demonstrated that he was the kind of guy that made decisions based on tactically protecting his own ass.