Mclaren Mercedes 2014

[Thunder]

Should be a reflection of the Fence in the Background. ^^

[KingHamilton01]

So boullier said we would see something interesting on the car and so far nothing :/

[Jef Patat]

So boullier said we would see something interesting on the car and so far nothing :/

That was a couple of weeks ago, more recently both JB and EB hinted that there wouldn't be much new parts:
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/113802

[bauc]

So boullier said we would see something interesting on the car and so far nothing :/

That was a couple of weeks ago, more recently both JB and EB hinted that there wouldn't be much new parts:
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/113802

I'm Mclaren fan for almost 17 years or so..... I have never ever been so disappointed from the team like this year. Ok last year I said to my self its a one off, it will be better next year as there were some bad seasons before but they have always find a way to bounce back but now..... NO.....Mclaren is slowly slowly sinking ....and if things don't change soon I'm afraid they will become the same as Williams, once a great team, team with great history, that will struggle for many many years to come.

[Jef Patat]

I'm Mclaren fan for almost 17 years or so..... I have never ever been so disappointed from the team like this year. Ok last year I said to my self its a one off, it will be better next year as there were some bad seasons before but they have always find a way to bounce back but now..... NO.....Mclaren is slowly slowly sinking ....and if things don't change soon I'm afraid they will become the same as Williams, once a great team, team with great history, that will struggle for many many years to come.

This reads as if I wrote it myself. Also a fan for many years. But last race... oh boy, fighting with TR can't be the goal. Without going into fanboyism too much I really don't understand what is going wrong. This team has lots of money but still they make a car that, after winter testing and four races, they need to understand better before being able to further develop on it. If their correlation issues are fixed that just doesn't make sense. It must be something very fundamental that's wrong. I don't know, in the team, the way they work, the correlation, ...

[turbof1]

I feel for you guys, but remember that Ferrari isn't doing that much better. I believe it's a matter of the relative newer teams, Mercedes and Red Bull, having embraced modern management concepts and overall just having a newer base of development tools, then the old guards Ferrari and Mclaren.

Mclaren would need a core breaking restructuring in order to get the same level of management. Iron Fist Ron Dennis really doesn't fit anymore in that. Red Bull and especially Mercedes are built around co-op leadership instead of one man at the top.

[acosmichippo]

Red Bull and especially Mercedes are built around co-op leadership instead of one man at the top.

But isn't that exactly Ron's ultimate goal with the separation of the CEO+TP position into CEO and Race Director? Ron just stepped in to right the ship, I don't think his intention is to be the head F1 guy forever.

[turbof1]

Red Bull and especially Mercedes are built around co-op leadership instead of one man at the top.

But isn't that exactly Ron's ultimate goal with the separation of the CEO+TP position into CEO and Race Director? Ron just stepped in to right the ship, I don't think his intention is to be the head F1 guy forever.

We'll see. At this point it isn't even clear who has direct control and responsibility over the team. There's nothing worse for any enterprise then having vague leadership with no specifically definded functions and responsibility. What's Bouillier actually doing? How big is Dennis' finger in the meal? Who will be the guy next to Bouillier?

In a smaller team this would have meant instant death.

[CptPeanut]

But there is now defined functions and responsibility, that was Bouillier's fast task. He analysed the old setup and has implemented changes (with Ron's backing) to simplify things. I think Ron is lending weight until the required changes have been made and will then step back a bit. The problems, to my knowledge, stem from resources being shared between Racing and Automotive, creating a drop in focus.

As with all structural changes there will be a transitional/bedding in period before the benefits are realised.

[mclaren_mircea]

Only now I'm seeing. It's interesting... Mclaren did in FP1 on HARD TYRES a 1:27:8 (dust, and other track conditions), and in FP2 on MEDIUM TYRES just a 1:27:7
Mclaren may have a very different programme. Combined the times from all the two free practice sesions in Barcelona today, all the teams have found more than -100 on the medium tyres compared tot he hard tyre. It's obvious that the car had more pace than that 1:27 on mediums.

[mclaren_mircea]

It seems that I was wrong... Button is saying that his time in FP1 was misleading. He was on low fuel and the car found that very narrow temperature window that it requires to be competitive. For him, FP2 offered the real picture of the Mclaren situation (behind Mercedes, Red Bull and Ferrari). He says that the new parts helps "the balance" of the car, but not a single word about improved downforce. He is optimistic that the new parts will put Mclaren in the fight with Williams and Force India, but definetely not with Ferrari and Red Bull. He says that Mclaren can improve the long runs, but suggests that they can't make more improvements for the short runs.
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/113856

In the same time, on Sky Sports, Boullier was more optimistic. He said that both drivers reported noticeable improvements of the car, and that they are gearing in the right direction, because all the parts put on the car had the expected effect.
http://www.motorsport-total.com/f1/news ... 50920.html
(use translete google, if you don't understand the german language, even if google is never 100% accurate

[adrianjordan]

I am too a long time McLaren fan and am finding this season frustrating.

But I think EB is exactly what this team needed - he has proven with the smaller Renault team that he can put structures and practices in place that get results and I think that, with time, that same approach will bear fruit with McLaren. As turbof1 says, the newer teams have already done this and McLaren, Ferrari and (I suspect) Williams (with Claire Williams in charge) are only now starting to see that they need to as well. PP returning to the team will help as well.

Next year with Honda is an unknown, it could be the same as this season looks to be for Mercedes, or it could be a third year of disappointment, but I am confident that the team has the wherewithal to return to the front.

I do think, however, that Button needs to move on. And I say that as someone who's highlight of the year last year was meeting JB in Frome and as someone who has been a fan of his since his debut with Williams. I just don't think he's right to lead McLaren through out of this tough spell. Is he a fast driver? In my opinion yes he is - but only when the car is in that sweet spot. When it is he is as fast as anyone out there, but when it isn't he struggles and that's not what you need when you're trying to get results with a car that's not quite there.

KM is still learning. It will be interesting to see whether he can mature into another world beating Scandinavian driver, or whether he will suffer from being thrust to the front too soon. Only time will tell.

IMHO McLaren need to lure Alonso or Hamilton back to the team. Hamilton seems unlikely, but perhaps Alonso could make a return...he must be getting frustrated with not getting the results and Ferrari and perhaps he feels that he has unfinished business at McLaren...but would Ron take him? I think he would actually as he recognises that if you want to win, you have to have the fastest drivers out there.

The big question in my mind is what is happening with a Title Sponsor?? I know there's no great rush, but I actually expected an announcement this weekend with it being the first European race - would seem to have been the right time...has anyone heard anything of late??

[akshat21]

I am too a long time McLaren fan and am finding this season frustrating.

But I think EB is exactly what this team needed - he has proven with the smaller Renault team that he can put structures and practices in place that get results and I think that, with time, that same approach will bear fruit with McLaren. As turbof1 says, the newer teams have already done this and McLaren, Ferrari and (I suspect) Williams (with Claire Williams in charge) are only now starting to see that they need to as well. PP returning to the team will help as well.

Next year with Honda is an unknown, it could be the same as this season looks to be for Mercedes, or it could be a third year of disappointment, but I am confident that the team has the wherewithal to return to the front.

I do think, however, that Button needs to move on. And I say that as someone who's highlight of the year last year was meeting JB in Frome and as someone who has been a fan of his since his debut with Williams. I just don't think he's right to lead McLaren through out of this tough spell. Is he a fast driver? In my opinion yes he is - but only when the car is in that sweet spot. When it is he is as fast as anyone out there, but when it isn't he struggles and that's not what you need when you're trying to get results with a car that's not quite there.

KM is still learning. It will be interesting to see whether he can mature into another world beating Scandinavian driver, or whether he will suffer from being thrust to the front too soon. Only time will tell.

IMHO McLaren need to lure Alonso or Hamilton back to the team. Hamilton seems unlikely, but perhaps Alonso could make a return...he must be getting frustrated with not getting the results and Ferrari and perhaps he feels that he has unfinished business at McLaren...but would Ron take him? I think he would actually as he recognises that if you want to win, you have to have the fastest drivers out there.

The big question in my mind is what is happening with a Title Sponsor?? I know there's no great rush, but I actually expected an announcement this weekend with it being the first European race - would seem to have been the right time...has anyone heard anything of late??

Completely agree with you on Button. I have said it before as well, that he is a moaner when everything is not perfect. Even his interviews reflect a defeatist attitude when the car isn't perfect. In contrast, an Alonso or Hamilton on the other hand will be of the opinion that the car isn't perfect, the team is miles behind, but they will still try and put the car to the best available slot and aim for a podium come race day. It doesn't always happen that they do, but by their statements and actions, the team knows that the drivers are putting their heart and soul into the car. Which can be an added motivation.

[Del Boy]

I completely agree that Button's F1 career is over. I was surprised that Whitmarsh hired him in the first place maybe it was to get number 1 on the car!! Jenson is completely unable to develop a racing car, his record at Williams, Honda and Brawn show he can drive a car that is set up perfectly but fails to provide the correct feedback to allow the team to upgrade the car during a season.
Does anybody know if he has a contract to drive for McLaren next year?

[akshat21]

I completely agree that Button's F1 career is over. I was surprised that Whitmarsh hired him in the first place maybe it was to get number 1 on the car!! Jenson is completely unable to develop a racing car, his record at Williams, Honda and Brawn show he can drive a car that is set up perfectly but fails to provide the correct feedback to allow the team to upgrade the car during a season.
Does anybody know if he has a contract to drive for McLaren next year?

I think his contract ends this year. I might be wrong.