Mclaren - What a laugh !!
Discussion
Well, they are a laugh are'nt they !!
I must confess to being well chuffed to see Ron Dennis squirming at the back of the grid. Never liked his style, or the ethos of the team in general. Hanging on to the limp Scotsman for so long has been dentrimental to the sport ( he wasted a great car which could have been put to more entertaining use by a young gun like Wilson for example) , and his obsession with all things Finnish is just plain odd.
What a contrast at BAR Honda now ! The gaffer Richards is an absolute professional and very demanding, but you can see by the way he was hanging around the paddock to share in the joy of Sato as well as Button , that he is a inspiring and humorous leader as well.
BAR Honda has some joy and humour and passion about it. Qualities sadly lacking among McLaren and to some extent Williams.
Good luck to em .
I must confess to being well chuffed to see Ron Dennis squirming at the back of the grid. Never liked his style, or the ethos of the team in general. Hanging on to the limp Scotsman for so long has been dentrimental to the sport ( he wasted a great car which could have been put to more entertaining use by a young gun like Wilson for example) , and his obsession with all things Finnish is just plain odd.
What a contrast at BAR Honda now ! The gaffer Richards is an absolute professional and very demanding, but you can see by the way he was hanging around the paddock to share in the joy of Sato as well as Button , that he is a inspiring and humorous leader as well.
BAR Honda has some joy and humour and passion about it. Qualities sadly lacking among McLaren and to some extent Williams.
Good luck to em .
Couldn't agree more on the BAR comments.
I've read and heard McLaren are a totally different team behind the scenes. The only difference between them and say, Jordan, is that Jordan allow their true self to be on pernament display.
A big part of the McLaren public "brand" is dictated by Mercedes.
I wouldn't write them off either.
I've read and heard McLaren are a totally different team behind the scenes. The only difference between them and say, Jordan, is that Jordan allow their true self to be on pernament display.
A big part of the McLaren public "brand" is dictated by Mercedes.
I wouldn't write them off either.
Yes McLaren are definetly worse now
It's just their reliability, KR's car blowing up in all 3 races and the Scot scoring points
Which was some what rare in past years
I think BAR have defintely come along way and are better than McLaren. I seriously think In a year or two they will be challenging for the title against Ferrari
, like McLaren once was
It's just their reliability, KR's car blowing up in all 3 races and the Scot scoring points
Which was some what rare in past years I think BAR have defintely come along way and are better than McLaren. I seriously think In a year or two they will be challenging for the title against Ferrari
, like McLaren once wasMcLaren will be back - although it might take a year (or even two). They were in a similar position between 1991 amd 1995. It was only the greatness of Senna that kept them up there in 1991, 92 and 93. By 1995 they were in a real mess but., within two years, were back up at the top fighting for the championship.
I have said elsewhere that I really do think that their involvement in the current road car project has allowed Ron to take his eye off the ball a bit. I'm sure that's what happened in the early 90s too.It was interesting to hear Coulthard saying something similar this week - although he was putting the blame on the move to their new HQ near Fairoaks. Ron Dennis has denied this but I think outside distractions have played their part in McLaren's lack of competitiveness over the past two years.
I have said elsewhere that I really do think that their involvement in the current road car project has allowed Ron to take his eye off the ball a bit. I'm sure that's what happened in the early 90s too.It was interesting to hear Coulthard saying something similar this week - although he was putting the blame on the move to their new HQ near Fairoaks. Ron Dennis has denied this but I think outside distractions have played their part in McLaren's lack of competitiveness over the past two years.
Eric Mc said:As I posted before, anything that happens at McLaren Cars does not affect those at McLaren International. Believe me. Certainly the move to new gaff will have upset things and this may have proved important. Once they're in and settled I think they'll be the ones to watch...
McLaren will be back - although it might take a year (or even two). They were in a similar position between 1991 amd 1995. It was only the greatness of Senna that kept them up there in 1991, 92 and 93. By 1995 they were in a real mess but., within two years, were back up at the top fighting for the championship.
I have said elsewhere that I really do think that their involvement in the current road car project has allowed Ron to take his eye off the ball a bit. I'm sure that's what happened in the early 90s too.It was interesting to hear Coulthard saying something similar this week - although he was putting the blame on the move to their new HQ near Fairoaks. Ron Dennis has denied this but I think outside distractions have played their part in McLaren's lack of competitiveness over the past two years.
I suspect a lot of McLarens problem has to do with the new Paragon building they been constructing and moving to for the last two years (that's less than a mile from where I live
Ferrari were the same before they built their new windtunnel and test centre. Now look at 'em now though.
OK I am slightly biased, but I wouldn't count MClaren out completely, I believe they'll be back up there within 2 seasons.
Ferrari were the same before they built their new windtunnel and test centre. Now look at 'em now though.
OK I am slightly biased, but I wouldn't count MClaren out completely, I believe they'll be back up there within 2 seasons.
McLaren will be back at the top sooner or later. Let's not forget that it took the title to the wire only last season.
I think the move to the new building isn't helping, but a large portion of the blame for McLaren's poor form at the moment lies squarely at the door of Mercedes. Since the 2000 season (when Hakkinen's title hopes blew with his engine at Indy, just as he'd caught MS), the Merc powerplant has been down on power and pretty unreliable compared to its top-drawer rivals. Though with Merc owning 40% of McLaren it would seem there's no escape, sadly.
Speaking as someone with an involvement with a race team, I'm a big admirer of the way Ron and the team operate. So they don't prat about publicly like Jordan and Ron doesn't have a penchant for the latest facial hair, glasses or large-breasted models, but they've won rather more titles than Jordan. No hystrionics, no attempts to change the rules to ban technology it can't itself perfect (as Ferrari has done a fair few times in recent years), no team orders until they're necessary for the title chase. Ron, like Frank Williams and Patrick Head, is a racer above all the commercial considerations. The team is quite different on the inside though, as someone said earlier.
As for his love of all things Finnish, well I rather like that, too. They make rather good vodka, you know! Hakkinen was the only man of his era that Schumacher feared - a man better under pressure than the cobbler from Kerpen and if you had to bet your life on one bloke over one lap, he'd be the man for the job. Raikkonen is one of only two drivers MS fears these days, so I'd say he's pretty well qualified for the job. Who's the other? Why, the bloke they've signed for next year! Anyway, if Ron was that obsessed with Finns per se, he'd surely have signed Mika Salo up during the '90s...
I hope Mercedes/Ilmor gets its act together soon, because the MP4/19 is the best looking car out there at the moment and I'd like to see it winning. I'd also like to hear the Finnish national anthem again soon.
I think the move to the new building isn't helping, but a large portion of the blame for McLaren's poor form at the moment lies squarely at the door of Mercedes. Since the 2000 season (when Hakkinen's title hopes blew with his engine at Indy, just as he'd caught MS), the Merc powerplant has been down on power and pretty unreliable compared to its top-drawer rivals. Though with Merc owning 40% of McLaren it would seem there's no escape, sadly.
Speaking as someone with an involvement with a race team, I'm a big admirer of the way Ron and the team operate. So they don't prat about publicly like Jordan and Ron doesn't have a penchant for the latest facial hair, glasses or large-breasted models, but they've won rather more titles than Jordan. No hystrionics, no attempts to change the rules to ban technology it can't itself perfect (as Ferrari has done a fair few times in recent years), no team orders until they're necessary for the title chase. Ron, like Frank Williams and Patrick Head, is a racer above all the commercial considerations. The team is quite different on the inside though, as someone said earlier.
As for his love of all things Finnish, well I rather like that, too. They make rather good vodka, you know! Hakkinen was the only man of his era that Schumacher feared - a man better under pressure than the cobbler from Kerpen and if you had to bet your life on one bloke over one lap, he'd be the man for the job. Raikkonen is one of only two drivers MS fears these days, so I'd say he's pretty well qualified for the job. Who's the other? Why, the bloke they've signed for next year! Anyway, if Ron was that obsessed with Finns per se, he'd surely have signed Mika Salo up during the '90s...
I hope Mercedes/Ilmor gets its act together soon, because the MP4/19 is the best looking car out there at the moment and I'd like to see it winning. I'd also like to hear the Finnish national anthem again soon.
hornet said:
No hystrionics, no attempts to change the rules to ban technology it can't itself perfect (as Ferrari has done a fair few times in recent years), no team orders until they're necessary for the title chase.
Like that all important title deciding first race of 1998...
To the best of my knowledge that was the result of a 'Gentlemans' agreement between Coulthard and Hakkinen. Not sure we can pin the blame on McLaren.
Whilst I'm a die hard Schumacher/Ferrari fan I still prefer to see him fight for the championship as he had to last year. Shame that McLaren (though probably more Mercedes) aren't supplying the hardware Raikkonen needs.
hornet said:
No hystrionics, no attempts to change the rules to ban technology it can't itself perfect (as Ferrari has done a fair few times in recent years), no team orders until they're necessary for the title chase.
Like that all important title deciding first race of 1998...
Oh come come, now - don't be so silly! Everyone knows about that pre-race agreement mentioned above.
Looks like they're doing something:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/motorsport/formula_one/3654011.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/motorsport/formula_one/3654011.stm
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