Xero wrote:I guess now is as good a time as any to reflect on the season as a whole.
Before the season started I think we all hoped (and expected) decent progress to be made. Finishing 4th in the constructors seemed like a realistic target, with Renault's 122 points from 2018 setting a good benchmark to reach. Minus a minority expecting too much too quick, it felt like that would be good step towards the front.
With pre-season suggesting it would be a challenge due to the single lap pace Haas showed, the race stints looked decent. Despite the vast majority of the media ignoring that data, and with some even pinning them to be 2nd last, it was clear we were in the mix of it.
Despite a difficult opening Australian GP the team bounced back at Bahrain with some genuine pace. We had some horrible luck with retirements, and more difficulties at the Chinese GP highlighting the cars weaknesses. But again we bounced back at Baku, showing just how efficient the aero package had become, giving the team an excellent result, and one that would pave the way for the start of the European season. They began to get on top of the the cars front end issues, and up until the break strung together a fantastic run of results. A couple of forgettable races at Spa and Monza after the break were quickly put behind us at Russia and Japan with some real exciting pace that allowed us to mix it with the boys at the front, however brief it was. The team were rewarded for their efforts with an unthinkable podium finish, the cherry on top of a wonderful season.
So they've ended the season with 145 points, landing them 4th in the constructors, 6th in the drivers with Carlos, and a trophy to boot. Could not be any happier with the season as a whole, and it certainly exceeded all my expectations! It's been such a pleasure to see the team grow with an incredible chemistry that will undoubtedly breed hunger, drive and success moving forward. Full credit to Zak for making the changes needed, it's obvious to see they're working, and in Seidl we have a top man steering the ship.
So what do we think for next season? There's still a fairly large gap to the front guys, and I think it's fair to say we haven't cleared the midfield yet. I guess the natural step would be to fall somewhere in that gap, and perhaps pick up a couple of podiums next year when the chances arrive? If we're consistently ahead of the midfield in that gap we should smash past the 200 point barrier, so perhaps that's a sensible target. At certain races where it suits the car (whatever that may be) perhaps mix it with the front runners more often and get them looking over their shoulder? I guess that's my hope for next season, to have the front 3 say "we need to keep one eye on the McLarens."
Great post and review of the season... And summarizes my feelings around it almost perfectly.
The team exceeded my expectations for the season in terms of the car’s performance, even though the gap to the top 3 is still huge, there is definitely an improvement over previous years and that’s all I could have asked from Mclaren... Make progress and move forward (after feeling like they were moving backwards every season the last few years).
The P4 in the constructors championship is a reward to the team’s consistency and the driver’s maturity/race craft... Not necessarily a reflection of the car’s performance on track. We have to recognize that the MCL34 was a car that had performance to mix it up at the top of the midfield, but it never really cleared it or lead it and that the massive point difference to P5 in the WCC is due to the team taking advantage of the opportunities presented to them during the season... The Team won P4, the car isn’t the 4th best car.
Which leads me to hopes and expectations for next season... The MCL35 will be the result of the new leadership team’s efforts and hopefully it will close the gap to the front, would love to see the team in within a second of pole consistently next year... Just as there is no question in regards to whom will fill the top 6 spots in Qualifying, I’m hoping that there is no question as to whom will fill the top 8 spots in 2020 and Mclaren been part of that group.
Finally, I’m really hoping they are going to fix the nagging issues outside of the cockpit... There has been way too many mistakes in PitStops during the season and Mclaren’s performance isn’t the one that a top caliber team, yesterday they complicated Norris with a 3.9 second PitStop, which could have helped him keep P7, forcing him to make his way pass both Williams... Mclaren’s PitStop’s this year weren’t neither fast nor consistent... With a midfield that will probably continue to be close next year, what happens out of the cockpit can make or break a season (pitstops, strategy) and that’s something that can be improved without spending tens of millions.
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. Very well written. 
