Vodafone McLaren Mercedes 2013

[Pierce89]

Try to put things into perspective. McLaren's poor 2013 season was the direct consequence of the Team's decision to fight for the 2012 Championship until the very end and the subsequent delay in shifting the Team's focus and resources to the 2013 car.

Actually it was their decision to not evolve the 27 but instead bring out an entirely new car even though they had a very good car in 2012.
So running until the very end in 2012 would have been beneficial but only if they had evolved the 27.

But that completely ignores the fact that giving up earlier on 2012 might've allowed them the time to better refine the 28 in the intensive early design process.
JK just playing the F1T circular logic game.

[Shakeman]

But that completely ignores the fact that giving up earlier on 2012 might've allowed them the time to better refine the 28 in the intensive early design process.
JK just playing the F1T circular logic game.

At the launch there was absolutely no suggestion any lack of preparation hampered the development of the 28. In fact the mood music was quite the opposite and McLaren stated their simulation data showed a huge step forward. Jenson went on record as saying the car in the simulation was indeed a huge step forward with potential to further develop it.

It wasn't until the first test that the first indications that the McLaren was a lemon surfaced. For a lot of the first half of the season they continued fighting with understanding the car and not being able to match simulation to reality. They had to continue with the 28 to ensure they could correlate their tunnel and sim data to the real world otherwise they could easily be lost again in future seasons.

[Crucial_Xtreme]

I think McLaren are in a really good place for 2015. I think they may be the team to beat in 2015. I say this because of the impending engine freeze Feb 28th 2014. Hondas engine isn't yet registered in F1 therefore they don't have to abide by the freeze. They will have the ability to change things based on information obtained in the early part of 2014 which could provide a significant advantage for the engine maker and also McLaren.

[mclaren_mircea]

@Crucial_Xtreme

Mclaren might be in a better shape than Ferrari even in 2014. Apart from their mistake this year with the pull rod suspension and high nose, Mclaren made faster cars than Ferrari in all this years years. Yes, Alonso is a complete driver and scored more points than Button, Hamilton or Perez, but apart from this year, Mclaren's car was faster than what Ferrari had. Even in 2010 and 2012 when Alonso took the fight for the title until the very end, pit stop errors, reliability and other factors affected Mclaren, but their car was faster than Ferrari in all this years. Remember than no other team has Mclaren's history with low noses design, and that Mclaren switched ALL THEIR EFFORTS towards mp4-29 in late June 2013, when Ferrari was throwing everything on this year's car to close the gap to Vettel and fight Mercedes for the second place in the Constructors. I'm sure that Mp4-29 shoul be a better car than what Ferrari will produce.

[mclaren_mircea]

http://translate.google.ro/translate?sl ... e-nel-2014

The Honda is ... uncontrollable. The Japanese manufacturer has officially announced its intention to enter into the world of Formula 1 in the role of engineer from 2015 to provide McLaren, but the brand Wako can work freely in the development of its V6 Turbo engine, while the units of Ferrari, Renault and Mercedes will be "frozen" by the FIA ​​with the approval which will take effect February 28, 2014.

The Japanese, who participate in the meetings of the mechanics and, therefore, have a power of persuasion in your choices will have an advantage incalcolabole than the other three manufacturers, because they can change their power-units on the basis of the information that will be drawn from the first races of the 2014 season, acting on the critical points that emerge on the V6 Turbo to those who will face the entire 2014 season with a unit subject to the "freezing".

"We talked at length with the other motorists - admitted Stefano Domenicali, Ferrari team principal - but not found a solution. Could not compel her to freeze the Honda engine because it is not yet registered in the world of F1 and, above all, an attitude of "closure" would alienate any other manufacturers who might be interested in Gp. We realize that the Japanese will be able to enjoy a great advantage, being able to adapt its engine as a function of the problems that will be recorded during of the season, but we have not been able to do anything. "

The Japanese manufacturer to develop its power-unit has set up a new research center dedicated to its return to F1 in addition to that of Tochigi: the Japanese want to make it big and not lesineranno the resources to return to winning ways with McLaren as they did in the late 80s by inserting four world below from 1988 to 1991 ...

[beelsebob]

Honestly, I expect that this would be protested strongly, and that the FIA will allow a second set of homologation for the other engines in 2015.

[Manoah2u]

agreed. however, i think that could only become clear when Honda actually enters the game in 2015. They might have a huge advantage - or no advantage at all. If they do have a huge advantage, surely there will indeed be protest and i'm sure the manufacturers will be allowed to adapt. but whether that'll be in time to 'rescue' the 2015 season remains to be seen.

But then again, honda might have a terrible engine instead. who knows. still have to see the first v6 in a 2014 f1 car.

[marcush.]

inevitably this will lead to a postponed engine freeze of sorts to allow all participants to play on a level field...

[mclaren_mircea]

An analysis of Mclaren's faillure this season. Like I always said, not down due to weak engineering team (Mclaren mp4-27 was the only superior car to Red Bull in all this years 2010-present, but due to a weak management (team manager Martin Whitmarsh, because he could not preserve his lucididy and cold blood, and the general path of the car signed by Paddy Lowe)

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/news/form ... 7--f1.html
Formula 1 - McLaren woes caused by 2012 panic
McLaren's poor 2013 Formula 1 season was a result of an unnecessary panic during a fallow period in mid-2012, according to team boss Martin Whitmarsh.
The Woking team failed to take a podium finish this year for the first time since 1980, despite ending 2012 as F1's pacesetter.
Whitmarsh now believes the team went fundamentally awry in summer 2012, when it over-reacted to a performance dip and decided it had to take a new direction with its '13 design.
"Last year we had a quick car. And if we had had more operational reliability then we could have won the championship," Whitmarsh told AUTOSPORT.
"Around mid-year, when we were making decisions about this year's car, I guess we had a slight dip in our performance.
"What tends to happen is that every now and again you get on a roll and you get a good upturn in performance and you feel good with life.
"Occasionally it goes flat for a while and then you start to worry and fret and panic.
Ambition behind McLaren's 2013 struggles
"We were looking at our development last year, we had a reasonable car, and then it did not respond in development terms.
"Every week you are delivering 1.5-2 points of downforce and when you go for a six week period of not doing that, you start to worry.
"It was maybe at that time that the engineer team thought maybe our progress is horizontal and we need to break out of here."
MELBOURNE PANIC
He admitted that McLaren then got into a bigger mess with this year's car, but was pleased with how it regained ground despite abandoning development very early.
"We got ourselves panicked into a horrible position in Melbourne where we were nailing the car's ride height on a bumpy circuit and going in the wrong direction," said Whitmarsh.
"We took a car that wasn't good enough and made it worse in my opinion, to be frank about it.
"We were behind and we have now focused on the effort of the coming years. There is a limit on what we could do this year.
"But Red Bull aside, we have gone forward. At the last four or five races, we were racing with Ferrari, Mercedes and Lotus.
"So we have made relative gains, and we have not for three or four months done any base work on the car, just running experiments in FP1 and going from there."

P.S From this text we can assume than Mclaren is working on 2014 car and 2015 car since the spring of 2013. Let's hope it pays off. [-o<

[McG]

I hope the sponsor isn't gilete.

I have a bit of an immature view on it though that probably makes on sense. It just isn't a cool sponsor.
I guess most sponsors aren't, and maybe it will only be for a year til Honda come, but shaving stuff is the least cool out of them. Not too keen on SAP either.

[adrianjordan]

If it is Gilette do we think Button will be allowed to keep his unshaven look?? You just know that Ron Dennis wouldn't stand for it...

[Manoah2u]

button with a tidy beard and a bald head.
and his japanese pretty wife perfectly venus shaven legs

i dunno, Gillete Mclaren Mercedes [Honda 2015]. something tells me it won't be gilette. not knowledge,
it's just the sense it just doesn't seem to 'fit'.




how about sony

or as mentioned before; Coca Cola, Coca Cola Zero,




don't mind the sauber and merc livery; i kinda think this coke livery is nice [even though very painty and lowquality]



then again, even though i don't believe Telmex will sponsor them anymore; this looks HOT



still, there's something so goodlooking about that mcl orange

[Pierce89]

But that completely ignores the fact that giving up earlier on 2012 might've allowed them the time to better refine the 28 in the intensive early design process.
JK just playing the F1T circular logic game.

At the launch there was absolutely no suggestion any lack of preparation hampered the development of the 28. In fact the mood music was quite the opposite and McLaren stated their simulation data showed a huge step forward. Jenson went on record as saying the car in the simulation was indeed a huge step forward with potential to further develop it.

It wasn't until the first test that the first indications that the McLaren was a lemon surfaced. For a lot of the first half of the season they continued fighting with understanding the car and not being able to match simulation to reality. They had to continue with the 28 to ensure they could correlate their tunnel and sim data to the real world otherwise they could easily be lost again in future seasons.

Yeah that's why I wrote "JK Just playing the F1T circular logic game"

[adrianjordan]

Would that nose design meet the 2014 regulations? Just curious really...cos it doesn't look too bad...

[bauc]

Guys, have you heard any possible dates for the mp4-29 lunch and the announcement of the new title sponsor of Mclaren?

Thanks.