2018 McLaren F1 Team - Renault

[Big Tea]

If you are looking at the pitstop problems Williams for example went through a similar stage of "the car is so bad there is no point even practicing pitstops" towards the end of the V8 era, that was turned around by Pat Symonds after he arrived, calmed everyone down and just got them focusing on their own jobs.

That did take a change of leadership though, at the least Boullier will have to have a change of approach.

Did you see the program where Guy Martin trained with Williams to become a wheel man in a pit stop?
That was excellent, and what I would expect of Mclaren. I don't know if there has been a change in middle level management or some of the long serving engineers have left, but as you say, it seems to have reached the level of not worth the effort until they need to panic. Its processes and training at fault not the people (probably )

[Alonso Fan]

Does anyone have speed trap data for today?

[Andres125sx]

Can´t you guys be a little bit optimistic?

Fastest laps of winter testing per driver

Driver Team Test Day Tyre Lap Time

Sebastian Vettel Ferrari Seven Hypersofts 1:17.182
Kimi Raikkonen Ferrari Eight Hypersofts 1:17.221
Fernando Alonso McLaren Eight Hypersofts 1:17.784
Daniel Ricciardo Red Bull Six Hypersofts 1:18.047
Carlos Sainz Renault Eight Hypersofts 1:18.092
Kevin Magnussen Haas Seven Supersofts 1:18.360
Pierre Gasly Toro Rosso Seven Hypersofts 1:18.363
Lewis Hamilton Mercedes Six Ultrasofts 1.18.400
Romain Grosjean Haas Eight Ultrasofts 1:18.412
Valtteri Bottas Mercedes Six Ultrasofts 1:18.560
Nico Hulkenberg Renault Seven Hypersofts 1:18.675
Stoffel Vandoorne McLaren Seven Hypersofts 1:18.855
Brendon Hartley Toro Rosso Eight Hypersofts 1:18.949
Esteban Ocon Force India Eight Hypersofts 1:18.967
Charles Leclerc Sauber Eight Hypersofts 1:19.118
Sergey Sirotkin Williams Eight Softs 1:19.189
Marcus Ericsson Sauber Seven Hypersofts 1:19.244
Robert Kubica Williams Seven Supersofts 1:19.629
Sergio Perez Force India Seven Hypersofts 1:19.634
Max Verstappen Red Bull Seven Softs 1:19.842
Lance Stroll Williams Eight Softs 1:19.954
Nikita Mazepin Force India One Mediums 1:25.628



Obviously this is testing and all of them are sandbagging, but Alonso said they too, so 6 tenths from the fastest lap of the 8 days, and 5 tenths from the fastest lap of the day, to me is encouraging

[ollandos]

Does anyone have speed trap data for today?

f1 official on twitter

[Alonso Fan]

Does anyone have speed trap data for today?

f1 official on twitter

Thanks

Wow I wonder how much 10kph down the main straight costs in lap time

[RonDennis]

Alonso also set his time later on the day, which will also have some effect. I think it looks pretty good, not a Mercedes beater, but McLaren has shown strong development during the year.

[RonDennis]

Boullier admitted that the team had let themselves down with their reliability.

"So far we had minor issues, but I think that's because we did not do a good enough job to prepare the car," he said. "We were a little bit stretched in terms of lead-time and delay. This is our issue. I think very quickly we are going to get back to normal."

This is understandable in the circumstances. The engine switch was confirmed late in the day - about two weeks after the ideal last possible moment for it. That put McLaren behind and they have not caught up yet.

But Alonso, who by this stage last year was at his wits' end with Honda, was staying positive in public.

"In the final day we put a little bit more performance on the car and everything seemed to work in the right direction," he said. "Still more to come. I think everyone is hiding a bit, as we are too."

Reading between the lines of Boullier's comments, it seems McLaren had to make some compromises with the car they ran in testing, just to get it there. The word is that they have a big upgrade to come for the first race - bigger than would be normal.

Boullier admitted that reliability was not where he would like it to be and that there was "a higher risk of failure" because of the lack of mileage. And he asked people to give it "a few races" before judging where they were, given the circumstances.

Until Alonso's final time, the feeling was that McLaren were towards the back of the midfield group. Now they may well be towards the front - with Renault and Haas.

[godlameroso]

To hell with the fact there's still a second per lap deficit to Mercedes. Let's focus on the positives. Alonso on a test spec chassis improved his speed from a fastest lap last year of a 1:21.0 in q3 to a 1:17.7 in testing. McLaren's test spec chassis with bbq bodywork and overly conservative heat exchangers is within a second of Mercedes. They slashed their 2+ second per lap deficit to half with a BBQ test chassis.

If I were McLaren I would at the very least give a big sigh of relief. No doubt as they push the cooling to a more McLaren level and sort the chassis out that second per lap can evaporate over the year. Such are the chassis gains that can get be made.

All those little testing niggles are just that, nothing that can't get sorted. Now my only worry is if it was a glory run on a fresh engine, or if he left a little in the tank. If it was just a normal testing run then it's definitely looking up at McLaren.

[Big Tea]

I just want to see them consistently finish races still racing for now. Get further up field as it comes.
Right now they do not look a good prospect to sponsors, and without sponsors they will not progress.

They have said all along that there are big upgrades for the first race, and more from then on in., but I hope they do not forget the essential things in the meantime.

With luck and hard work I can see them finish the year in the second group behind Merc RBR and Ferrari, but where in that group I dont have a clue.
If they finish above Renault they will be doing well, provided Renault put up a good showing that is.

[DiogoBrand]

Didn't Red Bull say they used to suffer at the start of the season because they launched their cars too late and had little time to iron things out? I believe that may be happening to McLaren, not by choice, but because of their late supplier switch.

[willmesquita]

To hell with the fact there's still a second per lap deficit to Mercedes. Let's focus on the positives. Alonso on a test spec chassis improved his speed from a fastest lap last year of a 1:21.0 in q3 to a 1:17.7 in testing. McLaren's test spec chassis with bbq bodywork and overly conservative heat exchangers is within a second of Mercedes. They slashed their 2+ second per lap deficit to half with a BBQ test chassis.

If I were McLaren I would at the very least give a big sigh of relief. No doubt as they push the cooling to a more McLaren level and sort the chassis out that second per lap can evaporate over the year. Such are the chassis gains that can get be made.

All those little testing niggles are just that, nothing that can't get sorted. Now my only worry is if it was a glory run on a fresh engine, or if he left a little in the tank. If it was just a normal testing run then it's definitely looking up at McLaren.

I am happy with Macca, but we need to remember we were running with softer rubber and smooth asphalt in comparison to 2017.

Car is better, but not 3.5s faster.

[godlameroso]

The asphalt is worth 1.5 seconds, and Alonso confirmed he left something on the table, they don't have a championship car right now, that much is obvious, their gap is similar to Red Bull's last year. A second off the pace more or less, for now at least.

[ollandos]

all the people says front mercedes and 1 sec gap...from where is this i dont know ...test is always test ...for example ..we dont know tires pressure ..every team can play with that with big time effect ...and i am sure mercedes is one of those teams .. a lot o blistering effect on tires is from this ..mclaren and ferrari i think have quit silimar test plan ..the 2 teams with out huge blistering on tires ...lets see the first 3 races in different tracks and after we can have a true picture about pace ... from the test mercedes has good times with M but the last day it was perfect for this tires ..
me i dont bye mercedes 1 sec gap ...i think red bull is very close if not faster .and ferrari to ..from this group i think mclaren is not more than half second .....i give 4th for Q and 3rd and podium for the race....win red bull 2nd mercedes with hamilton ..

[diffuser]

To hell with the fact there's still a second per lap deficit to Mercedes. Let's focus on the positives. Alonso on a test spec chassis improved his speed from a fastest lap last year of a 1:21.0 in q3 to a 1:17.7 in testing. McLaren's test spec chassis with bbq bodywork and overly conservative heat exchangers is within a second of Mercedes. They slashed their 2+ second per lap deficit to half with a BBQ test chassis.

If I were McLaren I would at the very least give a big sigh of relief. No doubt as they push the cooling to a more McLaren level and sort the chassis out that second per lap can evaporate over the year. Such are the chassis gains that can get be made.

All those little testing niggles are just that, nothing that can't get sorted. Now my only worry is if it was a glory run on a fresh engine, or if he left a little in the tank. If it was just a normal testing run then it's definitely looking up at McLaren.

Thank you

It wasnt just 1 fast lap it was a sucession of laps....5 maybe..

[makecry]

The asphalt is worth 1.5 seconds, and Alonso confirmed he left something on the table, they don't have a championship car right now, that much is obvious, their gap is similar to Red Bull's last year. A second off the pace more or less, for now at least.

If they are a second off Mercedes, I am gonna be insanely happy. All I want is Alonso to show the kids how it's done. If the car is good enough, fans who started watching F1 after 2014 are going to be in a for a show.