2016 McLaren F1 Team - Honda

[GoranF1]

On the BBC radio coverage of FP2 yesterday , they talked of rumours that Peter Prod wants to leave McLaren and return to Red-Bull.

thats terrible news....i dont even care if Dennis leaves or who will buy the team...but if PP leaves Mclaren is screwed.

[Alonso Fan]

I really hope its not true

[ncassi22]

Confirmed today by Martin Brundle. He was indeed talking about Sainz. (Don't know Martin's source though)

I know this is old news, but can somebody tell precisely what Alonso said on that team radio?
If I got it right, he said he was fighting for 15 laps against a car that should not be on the race (his own, from what I gather). Is that right?

He said: Yes I am pushing. I am pushing from lap one. But we are driving for 15 laps with a car that should not be in the race. So do your job, I’m doing mine

I think Brundle misinterpreted this. Alonso might have been referring to Sainz. Two reasons this might be the case. 1 - He thought he should have gotten a harsher penalty for pushing him off, and 2- Sainz said early on that his gearbox was failing; which Mclaren probably relayed to Alonso. "...with a car..." could just mean together with Sainz on track. ORRRRRRR... I am wrong.

[godlameroso]

Prodromou leaving probably won't have as big effect as the Ron Dennis fiasco on the overall team.

[mrluke]

Given the car/track characteristics, how will Mclaren do in Brazil?

I am predicting a best case of 2% slower than pole (about 1.4s).

Well 1.5 but pretty close

[RedNEO]

Just another rumour jumping on the bandwagon.

[Jolle]

It would be sad to see Dennis go, I've been a fan of McLaren and the way it's been run since I've been watching F1 (mid eighties with Lauda and Prost) but, the last few years haven't been good for McLaren racing. They missed the chance at two big rules changes (2009 and 2013) with the same engine as the WC of that year! Three years without a title sponsor and now, two of the biggest names in F1 and they can't seem to market them properly. Besides that, there isn't, expect Dennis his own words and promises for the past few years, no reason it will be better in the near future.
On the other hand, it looks like that McLaren automotive is doing as expected.
And then, after all those promises, he tried to buy them out... no wonder his days are ending.

But like I said. Real shame. I like his Jobesque aproache of leading a company, focused and clean.

[max_speed]

Alonso was at God level yesterday bit disappointed to see him 10th. i was damn sure about 7th place. i do not what happened to alonso in last lap , did he encounter some traffic ( i did not see his final lap) .Grosjean got full track for himself , while setting his Q3 lap or could it be that ferrari and merc engines went for quali mode.

[Fer.Fan]

On the BBC radio coverage of FP2 yesterday , they talked of rumours that Peter Prod wants to leave McLaren and return to Red-Bull.

McLaren is falling apart, Mr. PP is leaving, Honda is under preforming to say at least, Ron Dennis is forced out, team has not won for four years. Crisis is the right word. As I said, McLaren is falling apart.

Red Bull and Mercedes are new top teams in F1. Ferrari are still in the mix but struggling...

[Andres125sx]

Three years without a title sponsor

Can people please stop repeating this nosense?

They have Honda, wich is MUCH BETTER than any title sponsor, free engines and free top drivers, what title sponsor provide that to any other team?



And it looks like any unconfirmed rumours is enough for people around here to assume McLaren is disintegrating... I must be confused, I didn´t know this is McLaren haters thread

[Alonso Fan]

I know right

'OMG the world's gonna end...!!'

[Jolle]

Three years without a title sponsor

Can people please stop repeating this nosense?

They have Honda, wich is MUCH BETTER than any title sponsor, free engines and free top drivers, what title sponsor provide that to any other team?



And it looks like any unconfirmed rumours is enough for people around here to assume McLaren is disintegrating... I must be confused, I didn´t know this is McLaren haters thread

I don't think it's nonsense. All though 2014 Ron Dennis himself kept repeating that a sponsor was close and it didn't come. And for 2015 he kept telling the press that podiums and performance was just around the corner (not to scare away potential investors and sponsors). The deal they have with Honda is a pretty sweet one, but also dangerous. If Honda pulls out, for instance, because of lack in performance, McLaren looses a lot, even worse then the last time they lost Honda, because at that point they still had Marlboro.

At this moment McLaren is underachieving in too many areas. Their last podium was in the opening race in 2014, their last win in 2012, loosing 30mln a year since 2014 for not having a big name, even though they have the most iconic pairing (McLaren Honda) and two former world champions in the car.

Don't forget, investors wise, where this is all about, the last good run for McLaren was when Mercedes was a big owner of the team and ever since they sold their shares to do it themselves, there has been a battle of leadership at McLaren and Dennis, so far, didn't deliver.

They are on thin ice.

[diffuser]

Alonso was at God level yesterday bit disappointed to see him 10th. i was damn sure about 7th place. i do not what happened to alonso in last lap , did he encounter some traffic ( i did not see his final lap) .Grosjean got full track for himself , while setting his Q3 lap or could it be that ferrari and merc engines went for quali mode.

Nothing happened to Alonzo. The 2 FIs and Grosjean got better in the middle sector.

I think Alonzo has parts on his car that Button doesn't.

The non blown hubs in the front....not sure those are cause they were expecting cooler temps or to prevent the flow from going too wide. Keeping it closer allows them to run more wing in the front without loosing the seal(guess).

Alonzo also had that diffuser reinforcement. I couldn't tell if JB was running that.

I'm saying that cause Alonzo was alot faster than STR in the middle section. He was faster than everyone except the top 3. Which is what I've been expecting to see for a while.

[mclaren111]

Any other really good Chief Aerodynamicists out there who can replace PP if he does leave ??

[Redragon]

Why PP would leave? He was under the management of Newey at Redbull. At Mclaren he is the head designer and is his baby.
The only reason I see him to leave and back a Redbull is if Newey is stepping down totally from the F1 team.
It doesn't make any sense as career move to me if he is back to Redbull under the management of Newey again.
I assuming at this level you want your name on the whole package design not just be the guy always under the shadows.