Team McLaren - can they compete? - Page 47

Mike Harte · 4 Jul 2018, 09:36 (Ref:3834555)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skam85

I predict a grand total of 0 of these things will happen.

Well, at least one of your predictions has come true. He didn't even last that long before he "resigned"!

Akrapovic · 4 Jul 2018, 09:39 (Ref:3834556)

Quote:

Originally Posted by GingerPixel

If you think Brown is responsible for the car being slow you're nuts IMO.

That's like saying Mr Warburton is responsible when your toast doesn't come out right.

If Mr Warburton was in charge of hiring the staff who designed the toaster then it would be.

Brown is in charge. The operation is not going that well. It always comes back to the boss.

karting · 4 Jul 2018, 09:58 (Ref:3834563)

Mr Eric Boullier has just resigned.

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/13...ing-chief-role

GingerPixel · 4 Jul 2018, 10:02 (Ref:3834564)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Akrapovic

If Mr Warburton was in charge of hiring the staff who designed the toaster then it would be.

Brown is in charge. The operation is not going that well. It always comes back to the boss.

I take your point. For some reason I thought he was in charge of Mclaren as a whole, including road cars. I should get my facts straight before I start making bread-based analogies.

I still think the problem is more than just down to a bad boss though. They've got an advanced facility filled with clever and skilled people, and experience. Those things have all been around for longer than Zak.

Can you take a sabbatical from F1? A season off to regroup seems like a good idea.

crmalcolm · 4 Jul 2018, 10:15 (Ref:3834570)

Quote:

Originally Posted by GingerPixel

If you think Brown is responsible for the car being slow you're nuts IMO.

From McLaren's website:

'As Chief Executive of McLaren Racing, Zak Brown has overall responsibility for the business, including strategic direction, operational performance, marketing and commercial development. In his role Zak leads McLaren’s direction and involvement in professional motorsport, spearheaded by the McLaren Formula 1 team.'

So if the car is slow, its as a result of his direction.....

Armco Bender · 4 Jul 2018, 10:16 (Ref:3834571)

Being orange at least the car is a highly visible mobile chicane.

S griffin · 4 Jul 2018, 10:48 (Ref:3834579)

So Boullier has left. Wonder where he will go now? Let’s see what de Ferran does now

steve_r · 4 Jul 2018, 11:39 (Ref:3834587)

Did someone mention toast?

ASCII Man · 4 Jul 2018, 11:41 (Ref:3834588)

Huh, I haven't seen anything of Gil de Ferran since his involvement with BAR Honda.
He didn't really do much then, if i remember it right, so I wonder why he's even in the picture for a spot at McLaren.

Akrapovic · 4 Jul 2018, 11:41 (Ref:3834589)

Quote:

Originally Posted by GingerPixel

I take your point. For some reason I thought he was in charge of Mclaren as a whole, including road cars. I should get my facts straight before I start making bread-based analogies.

I still think the problem is more than just down to a bad boss though. They've got an advanced facility filled with clever and skilled people, and experience. Those things have all been around for longer than Zak.

Can you take a sabbatical from F1? A season off to regroup seems like a good idea.

I totally agree that the problem is more than a bad boss. Unfortunately I'm yet to be able to offer a better solution, lol. You see it in other businesses as well, where the boss is always to blame - but sometimes it really isn't their fault.

Whether that's true of Brown or not, I don't know.

**bella** · 4 Jul 2018, 11:45 (Ref:3834591)

Quote:

Originally Posted by ASCII Man

Huh, I haven't seen anything of Gil de Ferran since his involvement with BAR Honda.
He didn't really do much then, if i remember it right, so I wonder why he's even in the picture for a spot at McLaren.

his daughter is going out with vandoorne

ASCII Man · 4 Jul 2018, 12:02 (Ref:3834593)

Quote:

Originally Posted by bella

his daughter is going out with vandoorne

Now that just won't do at all.

peebee2 · 4 Jul 2018, 12:07 (Ref:3834594)

Quote:

Originally Posted by ASCII Man

Huh, I haven't seen anything of Gil de Ferran since his involvement with BAR Honda.
He didn't really do much then, if i remember it right, so I wonder why he's even in the picture for a spot at McLaren.

Ex-ChampCar driver, tested F1, wealthy French/Brazilian, big buddy of Zak’s.

I wonder which got him the job?

peebee2 · 4 Jul 2018, 12:16 (Ref:3834598)

"Our structure and ways of working is what has got us to where we are today," said Brown.

Very true. Most particularly for the last couple of years!

steve_r · 4 Jul 2018, 12:43 (Ref:3834604)

It is sad to see two the historic and formally dominant teams of Williams and McLaren stuck at the back, and struggling to even compete with midfield teams. The glory days seem a long time ago.

Having one person leave is not going to change anything significantly.

**bjohnsonsmith** · 4 Jul 2018, 12:55 (Ref:3834608)

Quote:

Originally Posted by steve_r

It is sad to see two the historic and formally dominant teams of Williams and McLaren stuck at the back, and struggling to even compete with midfield teams. The glory days seem a long time ago.

Having one person leave is not going to change anything significantly.

I wouldn't say McLaren are stuck at the back but they've very much become a midfield team. Alonso is currently 8th, with Vandoorne 16th, out of 20 drivers in the WDC and McLaren are 6th in the WCC.

midgetman · 4 Jul 2018, 13:00 (Ref:3834609)

>>>>Having one person leave is not going to change anything significantly.

It's not going to be one though is it? McLaren and Williams will both be shedding staff, it's just there's not one single "Night of the Long Knives."

I wondered why G de F was chosen, thanks for the background info. ZB seems to be surrounding himself with acolytes, never a good decision when what you've done so far hasn't arrested the rot. I can't see McLaren climbing back from this in the short term, next year they'll be racing Williams for the Wooden Spoon.

Maybe the answer is a McWilliams "Super Team" with all the sacked scapegoats getting together.

Sent from my SM-A520F using Tapatalk

**bjohnsonsmith** · 4 Jul 2018, 13:24 (Ref:3834610)

Quote:

Originally Posted by ASCII Man

Huh, I haven't seen anything of Gil de Ferran since his involvement with BAR Honda.
He didn't really do much then, if i remember it right, so I wonder why he's even in the picture for a spot at McLaren.

He was a member of the ICONIC committee, back in 2010, which oversaw the development of a new car, to replace IndyCar's ageing Dallara IR-05. IndyCar ended up with the DW-12. He also merged his IndyCar team with Luczo Dragon Racing in 2010, to become De Ferran Dragon Racing but subsequently folded the following year. Otherwise I don't think he has done anything since.

Racer65 · 4 Jul 2018, 13:52 (Ref:3834616)

He's been advising McLaren on Indycar and was heavily involved in the Indy 500 project last year.

ASCII Man · 4 Jul 2018, 14:00 (Ref:3834620)

So not an acquisition based on performance, but rather through connections.
I can already tell that this will go swimmingly, I mean, what could possibly go wrong?

EffectiveSprinkles · 4 Jul 2018, 14:01 (Ref:3834621)

Quote:

Originally Posted by steve_r

It is sad to see two the historic and formally dominant teams of Williams and McLaren stuck at the back, and struggling to even compete with midfield teams. The glory days seem a long time ago.

It's amazing how media perception clouds things. McLaren are not doing great but they are doing much better than last year, and are comfortably beating the team that took their engines. Their biggest problem is the gap to the other Renault powered teams.

S griffin · 4 Jul 2018, 14:15 (Ref:3834625)

McLaren are struggling but compared to last season they are doing alright. At least they are competing with the midfield teams.

Gil de Ferran has at least experience with running his own team in America, so could do a good job managing McLaren

Akrapovic · 4 Jul 2018, 14:17 (Ref:3834626)

de Ferran Motorsport finished second in ALMS in 2009.

I don't see the issue here.

chillibowl · 4 Jul 2018, 15:46 (Ref:3834643)

last week, and in response to Whitmarsh's comments, they had EB out there saying that all was good a Woking...this week he has fallen on his sword.

clearly something had to give but how many others will leave the team now?

i would assume that more changes and rebuilding are forthcoming.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Racer65

He's been advising McLaren on Indycar and was heavily involved in the Indy 500 project last year.

he might be the right guy to convince Alonso to stay on for another year.

Akrapovic · 4 Jul 2018, 16:38 (Ref:3834651)

Quote:

Originally Posted by chillibowl

last week, and in response to Whitmarsh's comments, they had EB out there saying that all was good a Woking...this week he has fallen on his sword.

clearly something had to give but how many others will leave the team now?

i would assume that more changes and rebuilding are forthcoming.

he might be the right guy to convince Alonso to stay on for another year.

Or it's already decided behind closed doors and he's here to ensure the McLaren IndyCar project runs smoothly.

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