McLaren"s Whitmarsh: "MP4-24 Not Fast Enough" | FerrariChat
Buy

McLaren"s Whitmarsh: "MP4-24 Not Fast Enough"

Discussion in 'F1' started by RP, Mar 13, 2009.

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

  1. RP

    RP F1 World Champ

    Feb 9, 2005
    17,667
    Bocahuahua, Florxico
    Full Name:
    Tone Def
    #1 RP, Mar 13, 2009
    McLaren's Martin Whitmarsh has openly admitted the MP4-24 is not as competitive as the team was hoping it would be at this point of the pre-season.

    The team has failed to be close to the top of the timesheets in testing, with both Lewis Hamilton and Heikki Kovalainen failing to make an impression, leading to suggestions that the team had problems with the car.

    On Friday, Whitmarsh confirmed that was the case, admitting the team has found a performance shortfall that it is working hard to rectify.

    "Initial testing of MP4-24, which first ran with an interim aero package, went in accordance with our early developmental expectations," said Whitmarsh.

    "This week the car has run in Barcelona with an updated aero package, as we had always planned it would, and a performance shortfall has been identified that we are now working hard to resolve."

    When asked if the car was fast enough at the moment, he added: "Not at the moment - and certainly not by our team's extremely high standards.

    "But Lewis is the reigning world champion, and he became world champion in one of our cars.

    "So anything less than success at that level is naturally regarded as unsatisfactory by us, by our partners, by the media and by the fans. Having said that, McLaren has started 648 grands prix. We have won 162 of them and have recorded 431 podium finishes.

    "We are proud of our record and have faith in our engineers' ability to work hard to get MP4-24 into a position to add to that record. They are already engaged in doing exactly that."

    Mercedes-Benz motorsport boss Norbert Haug said the problems will need time before they are solved.

    "We are definitely not where we want to be. We will continue our test programme next week at Jerez for another four days. But it will take time to improve," Haug said.

    Whitmarsh, however, said the team will be working flat out to rectify the situation and he is convinced the problems are fixable.

    "It is a combination of factors," said Whitmarsh of the car's problems. "Our Mercedes-Benz engine is strong - we saw that last year - so MP4-24's performance shortfall is clearly chassis-centric.

    "Inevitably, in 21st-century Formula 1, it is a car's aero aspect that confers the greatest pluses and minuses to its overall performance package, and that would appear to be the case with MP4-24. But Formula 1 engineers can do great things when the pressure is on.

    "Speaking to them today, I was struck by their resolute determination to address MP4-24's issues in record time. In fact, it is that kind of resolute determination, coupled with expertise and experience of ultra-high technology and the ability to work accurately and quickly under pressure, that makes Formula 1 the great sport and the tremendous engineering challenge it is."

    He added: "Many times in Formula 1 history have successful teams started off with a car that was not working as well as they had hoped it would, and many times have those successful teams engineered their way back to the front of the grid in impressively short order. That is what we aim to do. In fact, that is what we are already doing."
     
  2. tessmania

    tessmania Karting

    Oct 20, 2006
    110
    Ireland
    #2 tessmania, Mar 13, 2009
    Not as fast without the ferrari info and i'm glad to see it. Can't stand mclaren. Wonder how loyal Hamilton will be if they have a couple of well deserved bad seasons? Last i heard of him he said he's there for life!
     
  3. tifosi12

    tifosi12 Four Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Oct 3, 2002
    49,672
    @ the wheel
    Full Name:
    Andreas
    #3 tifosi12, Mar 13, 2009
  4. texasmr2

    texasmr2 Two Time F1 World Champ
    BANNED

    Oct 22, 2007
    22,232
    Houston
    Full Name:
    Gregg
    #4 texasmr2, Mar 13, 2009
    Mclaren was found only to be in possesion of the data and not using it on their cars after being inspected, atleast that was what we were told.

    .
    Why not and this is coming from a tried and true Ferrari supporter. After all McLaren is one of the greatest teams in F1 history so does that not earn atleast alittle respect?


    Hey MS had a few off years with Ferrari but he believed in his team and was well aware that those kind of seasons happen to even the great teams.
     
  5. RP

    RP F1 World Champ

    Feb 9, 2005
    17,667
    Bocahuahua, Florxico
    Full Name:
    Tone Def
    #5 RP, Mar 13, 2009
  6. texasmr2

    texasmr2 Two Time F1 World Champ
    BANNED

    Oct 22, 2007
    22,232
    Houston
    Full Name:
    Gregg
    #6 texasmr2, Mar 13, 2009
    In the immortal words of Phil Hartman "Yes you are correct sir"!!!!!
     
  7. RP

    RP F1 World Champ

    Feb 9, 2005
    17,667
    Bocahuahua, Florxico
    Full Name:
    Tone Def
    #7 RP, Mar 13, 2009
    Actually, this thread was posted first. But, who cares.
     
  8. texasmr2

    texasmr2 Two Time F1 World Champ
    BANNED

    Oct 22, 2007
    22,232
    Houston
    Full Name:
    Gregg
    #8 texasmr2, Mar 13, 2009
    I hear ya as I constantly forget to check the date/time a thread was started when I need to merge one.
     
  9. kraftwerk

    kraftwerk Two Time F1 World Champ

    May 12, 2007
    26,826
    England North West
    Full Name:
    Steve
    #9 kraftwerk, Mar 19, 2009
  10. senna21

    senna21 F1 Rookie

    Jul 2, 2004
    3,334
    Los Angeles, CA
    Full Name:
    Charles W
    #10 senna21, Mar 19, 2009
  11. LightGuy

    LightGuy Four Time F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Oct 4, 2004
    45,853
    Texas
    Full Name:
    David
    #11 LightGuy, Mar 19, 2009
    What am I missing; 2 teams testing here just before the start of the season ?

    Is the final script already approved ? ;)
     
  12. kraftwerk

    kraftwerk Two Time F1 World Champ

    May 12, 2007
    26,826
    England North West
    Full Name:
    Steve
    #12 kraftwerk, Mar 19, 2009
    Kudo's all round Charles...;)
     
  13. classic308

    classic308 F1 Veteran

    Jan 9, 2004
    6,820
    Westchester, NY
    Full Name:
    Paul
    #13 classic308, Mar 19, 2009
    Nakajima set the fastest time at Jerez so maybe he'll win the WDC...;)
     
  14. tifosi12

    tifosi12 Four Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Oct 3, 2002
    49,672
    @ the wheel
    Full Name:
    Andreas
    #14 tifosi12, Mar 20, 2009
    Right. With two cars running, the other being Heikki in the lame McLaren.
     
  15. senna21

    senna21 F1 Rookie

    Jul 2, 2004
    3,334
    Los Angeles, CA
    Full Name:
    Charles W
    #15 senna21, Mar 20, 2009
    His time was four tenth's quicker than the fastest time the Brawn had laid down. Another point to take note is that the McLaren was only about a tenth off of that time. Australia should be interesting.
     
  16. classic308

    classic308 F1 Veteran

    Jan 9, 2004
    6,820
    Westchester, NY
    Full Name:
    Paul
    #16 classic308, Mar 22, 2009
    Exactly.
     
  17. sindo308qv

    sindo308qv F1 Rookie

    Nov 1, 2003
    3,575
    miami.fl.
    Full Name:
    sindo
    #17 sindo308qv, Mar 22, 2009
    McLaren is probably sandbagging, Brawn appears to be doing well,
    and McLaren is going to lag behind? I don't think so.
     
  18. kraftwerk

    kraftwerk Two Time F1 World Champ

    May 12, 2007
    26,826
    England North West
    Full Name:
    Steve
    #18 kraftwerk, Mar 22, 2009
  19. classic308

    classic308 F1 Veteran

    Jan 9, 2004
    6,820
    Westchester, NY
    Full Name:
    Paul
    #19 classic308, Mar 23, 2009
    I think everyone is holding back save for Brawn who are in need of sponsors...we will see what's what in less than a week ..
     
  20. bigodino

    bigodino F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Apr 29, 2004
    13,163
    The Netherlands
    Full Name:
    Peter den Biggelaar
    #20 bigodino, Mar 23, 2009
    Can anyone tell me how sandbagging works? Seriously. Do they use sector times?
     
  21. kraftwerk

    kraftwerk Two Time F1 World Champ

    May 12, 2007
    26,826
    England North West
    Full Name:
    Steve
    #21 kraftwerk, Mar 23, 2009
    Not sure about using sector times, just a general average observation over a testing period.

    IMO Sandbagging is when a team or driver deliberately conceals the full pace that they have, leading to slower lap times, it's done to mislead onlookers and rival teams about the true pace of the car or driver.

    So while it maybe genuine that a car is slower than the rest, there is always some doubt.
     
  22. tifosi12

    tifosi12 Four Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Oct 3, 2002
    49,672
    @ the wheel
    Full Name:
    Andreas
    #22 tifosi12, Mar 23, 2009
    In the old days Williams measured the 2nd half of the first lap and the first half of the second lap and got their times.

    But I think it is actually a lot easier: Just add some extra weight to your car. They have a good understanding on how much added weight costs in time so you can be permanently 2 seconds slower than anybody else and still feel good.
     

Share This Page