The Fascinating Season ahead at McLaren

[Mike N]

The Fascinating Season ahead at McLaren

Has everyone enjoyed reading the endless platitudes of team harmony espoused by Team Vodaphone McLaren over the past several months? Every other day it seems we are served more of the corporate mentality of McLaren, and by definition , the team leadership’s personality. And at McLaren management is similar to driving assignments, where Ron Dennis and Lewis Hamilton are both number one, while Martin Whitmarsh and Jenson Button are both number two. Corporate personality/policy is pronounced currently by Mr. Whitmarsh , without any of the tortured efforts at re-defining the English language which we were treated to by his predecessor, Mr. Dennis.

Question is, does anyone really believe any of this ‘team harmony’ drivel? Are we really expected to believe that Jenson Button came onto the property thinking he was going to change the order of things at a team which thrives on order? Mr. Button’s pronouncements to the contrary, is Ron Dennis, whom has nurtured Lewis Hamilton’s career for many years now, going to suddenly throw that all aside for a slower, older driver? I don’t think so. And when the opponents at Ferrari, whom have already made public their team order philosophy begin to take advantage of McLaren’s public equality, then what? I think we know the answer to that question . I suspect we’ll soon be hearing more alibies from Mr. Button

Lately, more than ever before, the car which comes off the design floor fast usually remains fast. And the car which starts life with ‘issues’ has one hell of a time playing catch-up during the season. Aerodynamacists, and talented engineers back at the factory will determine to a large extent the competitiveness of the new McLaren MP4-26 before the season ever begins. Technical leadership men at the team such as Paddy Lowe are working hard to position the team, and drivers to score maximum points early in the up coming season. But what we may already be seeing is a potential aerodynamic design flaw, through the in-ability of Jenson Button again, to get up to pace in testing in Jerez, and Barcelona, and Lewis Hamilton not performing up to his usual excellent standard. With but weeks until the beginning of the season McLaren may find themselves playing catch up before the racing ever begins anew. And the legendary ability to develop the racing machine throughout the year is getting tougher each and every season with the absence of Adrian Newey, and the poaching of key McLaren technical personnel by Ferrari.

In years past McLaren could rely on long-time partner Mercedes Benz, that rare sponsor in Formula One with technical prowess, to assist the racing team. Mercedes Benz have of course parted company and following the spurned offers to purchase McLaren, have instead secured the former Brawn GP team. Having said that, there is precious little reason for Mercedes to assist McLaren in the future, a future where the two will increasingly be fighting hard for the sponsorship monies, and the wins and championships which go hand in hand with the money. New partner in the team’s technical/sponsorship alliance, Vijay Mallya’s Force India operation, will do little to replace Mercedes Benz . One gets the feeling that, from the lack of a major manufacturer relationship, to the changing of heavy sponsors, McLaren appears to be going down the road of another F-1 team of some note, Williams.

Therefore, all in all, it should not only be an interesting season for the grand team from Woking, but it could very well be a transitional year as well. All F-1 teams have their ups and downs, and none stay at the top year in and year out. Then again, McLaren boss Ron Dennis may indeed have loftier goals than formula one racing in mind, I read he wants to make McLaren the English Ferrari!

Mike N

[mlittle]

First off...............


Welcome to NewsOnF1, Mike N!

As to the pertinent question in your opening post............

Question is, does anyone really believe any of this ‘team harmony’ drivel?

Let me think about that one....no. Seriously, no.
Every team has some sort of friction, even the best teams in F1(and elsewhere for that matter) aren't always working in an harmonious manner(Ferrari comes to mind for some reason...........). Why should McLaren be any different?