Mclaren Honda 2015

[bauc]

Alonso is right, at the moment the Honda PU is on a gp2 level

[damager21]

Courtesy SkySports

An unhappy Fernando Alonso has been speaking to Rachel Brookes:

Are you enjoying it on track at all?
“No, there is not much joy. When you are being overtaken like we are on the straights it is very frustrating. Then you see other guys in the corners and maybe they have more difficulties with the cars, they are off the racing line, they are braking late, they are making mistakes and even with that they keep overtaking you in the middle of the straight, not even the braking point. So it is frustrating and when we are in a group it is even more.”

Can you see yourself winning another title at McLaren before you retire?
“Yes definitely. This is the only team that will challenge Mercedes in the near future. But right now it is tough times because we don’t have the toys to fight with them, but everyone is working very hard. That is the positive thing, everyone is making sure that we know the problems, we are deep into the solutions that we will find for next year, but when we are in a group we cannot hide.”

You said it was embarrassing when you were in the car. How can you keep yourself going for the rest of the season?
“It has been more or less like this and days like today you feel embarrassed. It is not possible that some of the guys overtake us like this as the package should be more competitive. On the positive side at least both of us finished the race, improving on the double DNF in Singapore. We fixed the overheating problems so at least we know when reliability comes we are learning from our mistakes.”

Mistakes are being learnt from quickly enough?
“Yes I think so. Everything has been analysed and we know what we are missing – the timed lap. Everything is in the process for next year, but it is next year for sure.”


I am happy with what Alonso did today. In fact I hope that this comes out as a headline in all Japanese newspapers tomorrow. Its time for Honda boss to recognize the problem and allocate more funds & resources to this project. I am sure that there have been lot of promises being made by Honda to drivers only to fall flat. It is no surprise that a double world champion and best driver on the grid would feel so angry about the current situation. It is important for Honda to deliver 1 sec gain this year using the balance 4 tokens if they have any chance to fight for podiums next year.

[mikeerfol]

Dennis pretty much confirmed on Sky that Button stays for 2016.

[Sayeman]

Good news....I Like Button

[Felipe 92]

[damager21]

McLaren boss Ron Dennis has confirmed to Sky that Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button will race in 2016.

Dennis said that McLaren held an option to terminate Button's two-year contract with the team, but he'd told him earlier this week that they wanted him to stay on.

He added that Button was "pleased" by the news and that, although he could perhaps have told the 2009 world champion sooner, he needed to speak to McLaren's shareholders first.

"The contract is completely intact and going to be unchanged," Dennis said. "I've spoken to Jenson about it and he's happy.

"I never discuss contractual matters if I can avoid it. And even acknowledging the fact there was an option is more than I would normally do.

"The drivers are all contracted, that's the end of it."

I think Ron also mentioned about a new sponsor to be announced next week. Dont think it will be a title sponsor yet.

[Paul]

Good, if the drivers have faith in the team and want to continue, they deserve a contract for all their frustrations this season, not to mention I can't see anyone else getting more from the car than they are.

[lillschumi]

I think it´s funny that that Mclaren draw references of the past with their collaboration with Honda as some kind of assurance of future success. Sort of neglecting the rather gloomy days of mid 2000 for Honda. What say they have picked-up the game since then?

Renault & Ferrari struggled with the new PU even though they had fresh F1 knowledge, by that i think Honda could have more of an issue getting terms with the problems.

As I said in the beginning of this thread. If Honda struggled last time they where in F1, what have changed that will make them sort there issues now when it´s even more complex.?

What they need to do is source/alliance the whole thing to some partner with competence.

[Sayeman]

Man, lambasting Honda like that at their home race must have hurt Honda a lot. This is their first year, cut them some slack at least? They haven't produced a good engine but this is their first year,no? Atleast Mclaren have been professional compared to Redbull. Humiliating them like that infront of their fans and bosses is just mean.
They are providing free Engines, paying half of the driver's salary, adding another 50mil to Mclaren's budget...not like they are charging $20million/year for those, are they?

It's like a competition between the drivers and the media, Who humiliates Honda the most WINS!

[Jef Patat]

Man, lambasting Honda like that at their home race must have hurt Honda a lot. This is their first year, cut them some slack at least? They haven't produced a good engine but this is their first year,no? Atleast Mclaren have been professional compared to Redbull. Humiliating them like that infront of their fans and bosses is just mean.
They are providing free Engines, paying half of the driver's salary, adding another 50mil to Mclaren's budget...not like they are charging $20million/year for those, are they?

It's like a competition between the drivers and the media, Who humiliates Honda the most WINS!

You are exaggerating reality to prove a point where there is none. The drivers are in a very frustrating position, it's only human that this frustration boils up. It's not like they were giving well thought through interviews up front to blame Honda. These are top drivers driving better than competition, just being taken over at impossible places with impossible speeds.It seems to have become a popular opinion that we need to cut Honda some slack because this is their first year. Well, we certainly need to give two former world champions some slack as well then.

[Sayeman]

You are exaggerating reality to prove a point where there is none. The drivers are in a very frustrating position, it's only human that this frustration boils up. It's not like they were giving well thought through interviews up front to blame Honda. These are top drivers driving better than competition, just being taken over at impossible places with impossible speeds.It seems to have become a popular opinion that we need to cut Honda some slack because this is their first year. Well, we certainly need to give two former world champions some slack as well then.

Not exaggerating anything, that is exactly what's happening, after Monza media asked Arai to apologize to the drivers.Why does he have to that? Honda is paying half of their salary, drivers are their employees.
Atleast they are trying, used some of the tokens to improve the situation (although that didn't work out), they could've left their tokens unused and tell them to f*ck off like Renault did to Redbull.
Alonso knew this was Honda's first year, talked about how he wants to be a part of this project, wants to develop the project and now he's lambasting them. Very unprofessional. How many top teams were willing to sign him when he left Ferrari?

[mrluke]

tbf alonso was overtaken at the end of the DRS zone, otherwise seemed to be quite evenly matched with the Renault powered cars.

[wickedz50]

Alonso needs to keep his patience, Honda will win in couple of years,

[Jolle]

Almost sounds like Alonso is trying to get fired. He's almost making the same kind of remarks as Prost did at the end of his Ferrari years.

Ron Dennis will have a serious talk with him. Something like this:
Fernando, we took you in this year, where, as you must agree, there weren't many options left for you after Ferrari reorganized their racing team. Me and Honda are paying you around 40 million a year and your name and reputation are somehow not bringing in the needed sponsors. I'm disappointed with Honda as well, but right now, I get more negative press about your embarrassing radio messages in their home Grand Prix then the lack of speed we have. So, what do you want? Return to Enstone again? They won't pay you even half what you're getting here, even when they get a car on the grid. Remember Massa last year joking about Manor? That's the only seat available right now. What would you say, we break open the contract? Then we decide if you are going to be part of McLaren next year and under what conditions.

At least, that would be what I would do...

[diffuser]

Almost sounds like Alonso is trying to get fired. He's almost making the same kind of remarks as Prost did at the end of his Ferrari years.

Ron Dennis will have a serious talk with him. Something like this:
Fernando, we took you in this year, where, as you must agree, there weren't many options left for you after Ferrari reorganized their racing team. Me and Honda are paying you around 40 million a year and your name and reputation are somehow not bringing in the needed sponsors. I'm disappointed with Honda as well, but right now, I get more negative press about your embarrassing radio messages in their home Grand Prix then the lack of speed we have. So, what do you want? Return to Enstone again? They won't pay you even half what you're getting here, even when they get a car on the grid. Remember Massa last year joking about Manor? That's the only seat available right now. What would you say, we break open the contract? Then we decide if you are going to be part of McLaren next year and under what conditions.

At least, that would be what I would do...

Right and if that contract is guaranteed ? In other words, if they fire him they have to pay him anyways? Of if he drives for someone else they have to pay the difference?

I think confrontational approach to this situation is wrong. I wouldn't want to escalate things. My approach would be different. I'd mention how well he's driven this year and how GREAT he has been with the press in general with keeping his frustration in check. That we understand how he feels and we all feel the same way but I'm sure he understands that he can't keep doing this.

All this coming from the driver Honda absolutely had to have!!! Alonzo knows how to deliver a message. I don't think he cares what Honda's paying. He just doesn't think they should suck this bad.

Personally I think he just said what's been on 90% of Mclaren/Honda Team fans minds all year.

It wasn't the most constructive comments but Alonzo is a Bull and when you play with a Bull, sometimes you get the horns.



I personally think that if McLaren put him out, there would be 3 teams lined up for him Monday morning. Ready and willing to put one of their drivers out to have him replaced by Alonzo.