2022 - McLaren Formula 1 Team

[Ground Effect]

If Honda wants to join as a works team with Mclaren I would say to welcome them back.Ron Dennis and the previous leadership are not here anymore and neither is Alonso.You never know.Third times the charm.

It was Ron that campaigned to get Honda involved, Zak had not nice things to say about both of them and Honda would not have forgotten that.

Mclaren should not be worried about what PU they have and focus on building a solid car that can genuinely fight for wins before jumping around with another PU supplier.

It was Martin Whitmarsh that did the Honda deal, not Ron Dennis. Unfortunately for McLaren, when they were teamed up with Honda, there was no interest from the higher ups for them to succeed. They only started running around when it became clear that they could leave the sport all together. Even the token system that got scrapped, that was for the benefit of Ferrari.

[billamend]

Back to Honda: If they want to get back into business on their own in 2026, they need a team. The first tip is knee-jerk Alpha Tauri. Is the team for sale for Honda?
Marko: When Honda comes back they need a top team. That can't be Alpha Tauri, especially not if there were no longer any synergies with us if we weren't coupled with another engine. When I ask around, every engine manufacturer, from Audi to Renault, wants a second team. There's not much left for Honda.

Helmut Marko ^

[diffuser]

Back to Honda: If they want to get back into business on their own in 2026, they need a team. The first tip is knee-jerk Alpha Tauri. Is the team for sale for Honda?
Marko: When Honda comes back they need a top team. That can't be Alpha Tauri, especially not if there were no longer any synergies with us if we weren't coupled with another engine. When I ask around, every engine manufacturer, from Audi to Renault, wants a second team. There's not much left for Honda.

Helmut Marko ^

It all depends on what Honda want to do. If PU is the only thing they want to do then SAT would not be wise choice if they want to compete at the sharp end of the grid. If they want to pull an Audi, then it is a good place to start. Although, they would likely want to do everything in Japan, then why not just create a new team?

If they just want to supply a PU. There are 10 teams:

RBR      - no
Ferrari  - no
Merc     - no
Alpine   - no
McLaren  - yes
Aston    - yes
SAT      - no
Haas     - no
Audi     - no
Williams - yes
  

Only 3 teams aren't tied to a works team
and are real chassis manufacturer(or soon will be). Of those 3 teams, Williams is in talks with Porsche. Not alot of choice left.

Haas, like SAT can't manufacture on it's own.

[Darth-Piekus]

I will say third time's a charm. Why not try the Mclaren Honda combination again. Honda seem to have fixed all their problems and Mclaren is a new team in terms of communication and relationship.

[Big Tea]

I will say third time's a charm. Why not try the Mclaren Honda combination again. Honda seem to have fixed all their problems and Mclaren is a new team in terms of communication and relationship.

Mclaren seem a much less 'political' team now than they were, but have they already laid the preconceptions with Honda?

[diffuser]

I will say third time's a charm. Why not try the Mclaren Honda combination again. Honda seem to have fixed all their problems and Mclaren is a new team in terms of communication and relationship.

Well, the "why not" is Merc has an advantage in that they are supplying more than one team, even if it is just them and McLaren. If McLaren go to Honda, they will likely be the only team supplied by Honda and the odds would be in favour of Honda being less reliable.

[Ground Effect]

IF, and it's a big IF, Andretti gets approval for his F1 team, there's a good chance he could team up with Honda? He's got a long term partnership with them in IndyCar. Michael and Zak get along famously well, so that good relationship with Zak and the good relationship with Honda could help repair things between McLaren and Honda. Honda would then have 2 teams to supply. It might also help Andretti's cause if he's backed by Honda.

[diffuser]

IF, and it's a big IF, Andretti gets approval for his F1 team, there's a good chance he could team up with Honda? He's got a long term partnership with them in IndyCar. Michael and Zak get along famously well, so that good relationship with Zak and the good relationship with Honda could help repair things between McLaren and Honda. Honda would then have 2 teams to supply. It might also help Andretti's cause if he's backed by Honda.

Andretti said that he already had a PU deal in place. So maybe Honda but Renault said that had been talking to Andretti but nothing was finalised yet. That was last summer.

[Mansell89]

Merry Christmas to all McLaren and indeed all F1 fans involved in these forums!

Here’s hoping for some major steps forward and a closer competition for 2023!

[MrGapes]

Merry Christmas to all McLaren and indeed all F1 fans involved in these forums!

Here’s hoping for some major steps forward and a closer competition for 2023!

Merry Christmas! Hope you all have a lovely day!

With all that's happening next year, should be a exciting year for us McLaren fans.

[Darth-Piekus]

Merry Christmas to all fans of the greatest team in F1 that also had the best drivers of all time. I hope 2023 will bring Mclaren close to challenge for wins.

[lio007]

I read that two of them went to Alpine ...

Matthew Gibbons - composites design engineer left Williams for Alpine.

Craig Burrow - composites design engineer left Williams for Alpine also.

Didn't hear of anyone going to McLaren.

It was also reported by BlackOpts that Alpine have acquired a VTT (Virtual Test Track). McLaren rents space at AVL in Graz for the VTT.

No mention if Aston has one. I'd presume not. If they don't, they'll likely be getting one as soon as they have space with all the construction going on. They are spending money like a drunken sailor.

I’m pretty sure Red Bull also use the one in Graz

I would expect RBR and the top three to have their own.

Yes: https://www.auto-motor-und-sport.de/for ... simulator/

[geogate]

The VTT is one of the biggest advantages the big budget guys have. So far as i know, there is no restriction on use? Seems flipping crazy for the FIA not to address it if they want any chance of levelling the field.

[Ben1980]

Happy Christmas all!

Here's to the new year, and hopefully the team getting a wee but closer to the front 3!

[_cerber1]

Andrea Stella: I think the start will be difficult for us, but we have high hopes for the second part of the season. The main thing is to create a fast car. It is important to set simple goals, but achieving them can be difficult. You need to win back a second or a half in relation to competitors. We have to develop even faster, because other teams can also make progress.