You could be right, but myself I can see McLaren leaving F1 in the years to come and switching to endurance, the WEC, Le Mans, etc... That would make more sense for a company that started producing road cars a few years back. Let's face it, McLaren's future in F1 is as a client team, and the future doesn't look promising for teams that can't build their own engine. From a marketing point of view, success in road racing (GT or LMP) will be more relevant. Let's not forget that it's repeated victories at Le Mans, Sebring, the Mille Miglia, the Targa Florio, the Nürburgring and else that put Ferrari on the map as a GT manufacturer when it set up business after WWII, far more than Ascari and Fangio's titles in the 50s.
I'm totally serious here. McLaren will not improve until Zak Brown and Bouiller go away and someone takes them by the scruff of their necks and drags them over the finish line. McLaren's race program has gone only downhill since they got rid of Ron Dennis. Yes, they could blame Honda but it's clear now McLaren has bigger problems. Stop the stupid "Indy" talks and concentrate on what people want you to be -- a first class F1 team. Brown is a PR and money guy. Bouiller's instincts and aggressiveness is highly questionable while McLaren seems unable to change. They need a management shake up or they will continue to slowly improve but always be a mid pack team.
I agree with most of what you say, but I would suggest that the racing program has CONTINUED to go downhill since Ron was punted. It began when Ron tried to take over...his attempt at a power move was the beginning of the end.
Post was for the Alonso part. I doubt McLaren will be back anytime soon. He's the Sam Michael of drivers.
Personally, I doubt very much that McLaren will ever come back as a "first class F1 team". The rot started when Ron Dennis had to stand back from the F1 team to launch the road car department, and also to escape more punishment for the spygate affair where they lost $100M!! Under Windmarsh, there was a steady decline. At the same time, the divorce with Mercedes put the team on a back foot. During that time, Red Bull came to the front and collected 4 tiles with Vettel, putting McLaren completely in the shade as a front runner team. Hamilton leaving, Windmarsh sacking and Dennis being challenged by his partners and then departing were the last nails in the coffin. I don't know why the investors chose Zak Brown as CEO, probably because he came with the reputation of being good at chasing sponsors, and the team needed them desperately, having lost most of its previous backers. He sure talks big, but not much comes out of it. Eric Boullier is like a wet lettuce, with no backbone. or enthusiasm. . The climate in F1 has changed completely in the last 20 years, and I fear McLaren will follow Williams in its steady decline. I cannot see who they could recruit to redress the situation.
Well assessed and summarized. It was in fact actually Ron who hired Zak Brown right before he got sacked. Zak was supposed to purely be a commercial guy. Ridiculous the amount of responsibility he's been given, seems totally in over his head.
The last person with a modicum of common sense to work at mclaren. Bring him back! https://www.planetf1.com/news/mclaren-facing-revolt-as-staff-want-whitmarsh-intervention/
Under Zak Brown McLaren is literally falling apart ‘Members of the shop floor were so furious at what they saw as the incompetence of their leaders that they plan to enlist Whitmarsh’s support as a last-ditch attempt to help turn around the ailing team.’
Honestly, I have my doubts. McLaren declined sharply under Whitmarsh's stewardship, as far as I remember. Also, his "friend" Mansour Ojjhe didn't defend him much when Ron Dennis demoted him. Maybe the next set of rules 2021 will be more clement to McLaren, but under this present formula, they are doomed.
Remember when Brown said a "major sponsor" would be announced shortly? That was months ago... Well, we're waiting... Mac has been moving backwards all season. And I think the sacking of some long term people on the team hasn't helped moral at all.
Words of Zak on sponsorship. “There’s two ways of looking at it. We’ve announced more deals than anyone else. Right, so you can go half empty, half full. I’m happy, but obviously I want more and more and more. But if you look down the grid, Ferrari did one deal, Mercedes has traded one deal, Boss for Hilfiger, Williams are losing Martini… And we’ve done four or five deals." https://www.speedcafe.com/2018/06/04/brown-optimistic-mclaren-sponsorship/
Alonso, Brown defend current McLaren era JUNE 21, 2018 Fernando Alonso has described 2018 as a "transition year" for McLaren. In recent days, rumours of a staff revolt at the British team have abounded, with former boss Martin Whitmarsh saying he is prepared to make a comeback. Whitmarsh is critical of current bosses Eric Boullier and Zak Brown, saying the former has failed to deliver a competitive car while Brown is looking too far beyond the F1 paddock. Alonso, though, said in Cannes after winning Le Mans that McLaren is on the right track. "We have improved compared to last year," he insisted. "We are not yet able to win the world championship, but we want to join the race for victories as soon as possible. I believe this year is a transition year for us but we are moving in the right direction," the Spaniard added. Alonso played down those who say that even before the disastrous Honda period and now in the wake of it, McLaren is in an obvious decline. "The decision the stop the cooperation with Honda was right, although it is clear that it was not easy for the team to accept," he said. "The transition to Renault engines has been successful, as we are fighting for higher positions and earning points in almost every race, but it takes time for the cooperation to become truly fruitful." Also in Cannes, team executive Zak Brown similarly defended the current situation at McLaren. "In sports there are no guarantees that you will win all the time, but I believe that McLaren is a very powerful brand, we have a rich heritage, and we will be able to overcome all our difficulties," he said. "The operation of the team is gradually improving, but we do want the pace of improvement to be faster," he admitted.
Mac wants Riccardo. OK, I understand that. But, other than money why on earth would Riccardo want McLaren?!? https://www.planetf1.com/news/mclaren-offer-ricciardo-20m-a-year-deal-report/
It will never happen IMO. If there are openings at Mercedes and Ferrari he will pursue them; if not he stays put.
Brown and Alonso may say whatever they will, their word is not worth anything when it comes to the state of McLaren. What are the engineers saying?
Under Brown, the frog and Alonso Mclaren doesn't stand a chance. instead of focusing in f.1 they are trying to please Alonso...as alwys he's detsroying another team. It's true trhat Honda sucked badly but, they are getting better, next year they will be in a top chassis and we will see what they're able to do...anyone here thinks 2019 red bull Honda will be slower than Mclaren renault? I don't. The frog is horrendus, he's useless, looks like that propaganda minister from sadam Husseis, saying they were winning the war when they had no more army left!! And brown is good for an lmp2 team, not Mclaren f.1! I also eblieve they won't erturn to the front of the pack!
Fair assessment of the present McLaren management, I thought. I have rooted for McLaren in the past (during the Senna, Prost, Hakkinen, Coulthard, Raikkonen era) but they are next to useless now.
It would be an enormous leap of faith on Ricciardo's part to believe he can reform McLaren from inside, instill some motivation and pull the team together to rejoin the winning circles. In other words do a "Schumacher's job" at McLaren. I am not even sure Ricciardo, who is my favourite driver BTW, has a taste for that. He is a great guy, and a bloody good driver, but undertaking to redress McLaren is a tall ordeal for any man.
Alonso made noise in that direction (leaving F1), but hasn't committed himself firmly, preferring people to speculate.. Now he has new goals, and he is less motivated to continue in F1, IMO. Let's hope Indy will be kinder to him than it was for Nelson Piquet !
“Paging Mr Newey, please respond Mr Newey. Urgent call from McLaren. They want to do a package deal for you and Mr Ricci. Pronto.”
