Is McLaren really off the pace?

[Alge7a]

Does anyone remember when Goony posted for us, that he used to complain that the management would rush the curing processes for tubs etc. Seems to me it could be a similar situation as this one. He said they would always be doing stuff like that, and that they never learnt. Very Interesting.

who's Goony? Sounds interesting. Obviously there are many things Mclaren are looking at ( as the green paint suggests) but i thought maybe the new exhaust designs this year might be the large random time consuming factor. Although Rb seem to have made a smooth transition from last year in that area.

[horse]

who's Goony?

Don't talk about the DEAD ZONE!

[smatrd]

They've been "changing the engine" for at least 2 hours and 23 minutes now..

What could they be doing..

[Shrieker]

who's Goony?

Don't talk about the DEAD ZONE!

Brian DON'T !!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WNrx2jq184

[Alge7a]

who's Goony?

Don't talk about the DEAD ZONE!

Brian DON'T !!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WNrx2jq184

you boys are speaking a new language for me. Although the clip was good. Lets get back to the real issue. Mclaren just above Virgin, ha! It cant be. I thought 09 was a horrible anomaly that wouldn't repeat itself. Who new they had it in them to do it twice.
Driver Team/Car Time Gap Laps
1. Michael Schumacher Mercedes 1m21.249s 67
2. Fernando Alonso Ferrari 1m21.614s + 0.365s 141
3. Nico Rosberg Mercedes 1m21.788s + 0.539s 22
4. Nick Heidfeld Renault 1m22.073s + 0.824s 67
5. Rubens Barrichello Williams-Cosworth 1m22.233s + 0.984s 89
6. Kamui Kobayashi Sauber-Ferrari 1m22.315s + 1.066s 98
7. Jaime Alguersuari Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1m22.675s + 1.426s 72
8. Sebastian Vettel Red Bull-Renault 1m22.933s + 1.684s 64
9. Heikki Kovalainen Lotus-Renault 1m23.437s + 2.188s 138
10. Paul di Resta Force India-Mercedes 1m23.653s + 2.404s 42
11. Adrian Sutil Force India-Mercedes 1m23.921s + 2.672s 26
12. Pastor Maldonado Williams-Cosworth 1m24.108s + 2.859s 11
13. Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes 1m25.837s + 4.588s 57
14. Jerome D'Ambrosio Virgin-Cosworth 1m27.375s + 6.126s 46

[Poleman]

I dont think that the car suddenly jumped from the 1:21 range to the 1:25 in just one days period.They had problems noone can deny that but comparing them with Virgin is plain silly.

[Alge7a]

I dont think that the car suddenly jumped from the 1:21 range to the 1:25 in just one days period.They had problems noone can deny that but comparing them with Virgin is plain silly.

yes clearly, i think were all agreed on that. But metaphorically it feels like they are heading backwards and it feels depressing.

[CHT]

Is Mclaren having some sort of cooling problem with the side pod design and new air duct?

[Alge7a]

Is Mclaren having some sort of cooling problem with the side pod design and new air duct?

i was wondering if the failure of the engine suggested that. The wing beam and the back end of the car looked high and clunky to me. Who knows, anyone?

[forty-two]

Brian DON'T !!!

Haha, perfect!

when I first saw that episode a year or two ago I promptly posted it on FB to bemusement from almost all of my "friends". Glad to know you're similarly inclined!

[forty-two]

I dont think that the car suddenly jumped from the 1:21 range to the 1:25 in just one days period.They had problems noone can deny that but comparing them with Virgin is plain silly.

I'm not saying that this is what is going on... but

If a team really wanted to sandbag and put the competition off, isn't this precisely how they would do so?

[vall]

I dont think that the car suddenly jumped from the 1:21 range to the 1:25 in just one days period.They had problems noone can deny that but comparing them with Virgin is plain silly.

I'm not saying that this is what is going on... but

If a team really wanted to sandbag and put the competition off, isn't this precisely how they would do so?

exactly! if I wanted to sandbag, I would just run slower but try to put lots of mileage on the car to nail down any reliability issues. McLaren is one of the teams with least mileage on the new car. Unless they are so sure in their reliability/performance that they also fake reliability issues, thou I do not believe that...

[forty-two]

exactly! if I wanted to sandbag, I would just run slower but try to put lots of mileage on the car to nail down any reliability issues. McLaren is one of the teams with least mileage on the new car. Unless they are so sure in their reliability/performance that they also fake reliability issues, thou I do not believe that...

Granted, and I'm not saying otherwise but as I said before, IF (and granted that's a big "if") McLaren were REALLY confident with their package, it would not be beyond their capability to do all these things. A deliberate "engine failure" is well within their means IMHO.

Like I said, I don't necessarily think that is what has been going on, but it is ONE possible explanation, and a quite convincing one at that, for reasons which should appear obvious.

[Shrieker]

I think McLaren don't have much of a problem pace-wise, but their tight packaging is causing moderate headaches, reliability issues. So they can't keep their pace. Well, the car is too prone to breaking down. Something you'd rather have at the tests than the races themselves. McLaren won't be setting the world on fire in the opening races, that's for sure. But by mid season the Mp4 26 might turn up being the best car. If that turns out being the case, the detrimental factor will be how much ground they lose to others point-wise until then.

[forty-two]

If early reliability is their ONLY concern, then I wouldn't be too bothered. Didn't Red Bull suffer serious reliability problems at the beginning of the 2010 season and lose a lot of points as a result?

It didn't stop them winning both titles though.