Team McLaren - can they compete? - Page 54

BSchneiderFan · 15 Aug 2018, 07:20 (Ref:3843717)

I’d have thought Newgarden or Pagenaud would be higher up any shopping list than Rossi; but in any event I just don’t see drivers migrating from Indy Car to F1 any time soon. With the exception of Montoya, it hasn’t been a happy history for some time.

S griffin · 15 Aug 2018, 08:14 (Ref:3843726)

So one more seat up for grabs. This is gonna shake up the driver's market. This is going to be an exciting silly season

NaBUru38 · 15 Aug 2018, 14:42 (Ref:3843790)

Quote:

Originally Posted by chillibowl

Sainz is experienced but how are his development skills?

No idea.

Quote:

Originally Posted by chillibowl

is he big enough to draw in sponsors?

If the car is good he certainly can draw big sponsors.

NaBUru38 · 15 Aug 2018, 14:43 (Ref:3843791)

Quote:

Originally Posted by chillibowl

as for the Kimster's motivation...who knows what motivates that guy!

A few McLaren road cars and some ice cream should do.

BSchneiderFan · 15 Aug 2018, 18:18 (Ref:3843851)

Autosport seem to be working on the assumption that it will be Sainz at McLaren, with Gasly getting the nod for Red Bull. They’re usually pretty on-the-money on these things.

**GTRMagic** · 16 Aug 2018, 09:22 (Ref:3843967)

Quote:

Originally Posted by BSchneiderFan

Autosport seem to be working on the assumption that it will be Sainz at McLaren, with Gasly getting the nod for Red Bull. They’re usually pretty on-the-money on these things.

Since the boss at McLaren is part of the ownership group of Autosport...

...you might hope they are right sometimes...

steve nielsen · 16 Aug 2018, 12:34 (Ref:3843992)

Official: Sainz to McLaren

Mike Bell · 16 Aug 2018, 12:39 (Ref:3843993)

On his twitter and elsewhere..... https://mobile.twitter.com/Carlossai...Ctwgr%5Eauthor

**bjohnsonsmith** · 16 Aug 2018, 12:53 (Ref:3843996)

Quote:

Originally Posted by steve nielsen

Official: Sainz to McLaren

At least that's been sorted out, now for the rest of the Silly Season to unravel.

BSchneiderFan · 16 Aug 2018, 14:14 (Ref:3844012)

McLaren didn’t have very many options, but Sainz is a good choice, I think. Real potential, and young enough (23?) to forge a long-term future. Be interesting to see how he goes.

S griffin · 16 Aug 2018, 17:16 (Ref:3844058)

I think McLaren will do well out of this, a hard young charger with great potential. What will happen to Vandoorne or Norris now?

BSchneiderFan · 16 Aug 2018, 18:18 (Ref:3844069)

Logic would suggest that Alonso’s departure strengthens Vandoorne’s case on grounds of continuity.

**bella** · 16 Aug 2018, 18:42 (Ref:3844075)

putting aside internet bravado and all that, did anyone really see this coming a month ago?

Akrapovic · 16 Aug 2018, 18:57 (Ref:3844078)

Alonso leaving? Totally. Lots here have been saying it for 2-3 years.

BSchneiderFan · 16 Aug 2018, 18:59 (Ref:3844080)

Mark Webber was certain it was coming when he was commentating at Spielberg.

E.B · 16 Aug 2018, 19:01 (Ref:3844082)

Alonso himself admitted the decision was made months ago.

crmalcolm · 16 Aug 2018, 19:03 (Ref:3844083)

Quote:

Originally Posted by bella

putting aside internet bravado and all that, did anyone really see this coming a month ago?

This was posted in and indycar discussion in may 2017.....

Quote:

Originally Posted by BSchneiderFan

I don't think Alonso is finished with F1 yet. But this may have whetted his appetite for 2019 or 2020.

**bella** · 16 Aug 2018, 19:06 (Ref:3844084)

Quote:

Originally Posted by crmalcolm

This was posted in and indycar discussion in may 2017.....

i was mostly thinking of sainz replacing him tbh.

BSchneiderFan · 16 Aug 2018, 19:27 (Ref:3844089)

I don’t claim to have predicted Alonso’s departure, though I thought it was a possibility, and became more likely the worse McLaren’s travails became. I didn’t see Sainz’s hiring coming, that I freely confess.

S griffin · 16 Aug 2018, 20:15 (Ref:3844094)

I could see Fred’s announcement coming, he looked more and more like he wanted to find a new challenge

chillibowl · 16 Aug 2018, 20:26 (Ref:3844100)

as bad as his car was and might have been next year, he is also walking away from (i would guess) somewhere between 20-30mil a year and with a team that would have let him pursue the triple crown dream.

i was pretty shocked by the announcement.

Sainz is also a bit of a shocker to me. the Mclaren is what it is now so i suppose you cant expect a top flight name combined with a lack of other options, but i feel its a fairly uninspired choice. i doubt Ron Dennis would have made a similar signing in this situation.

BSchneiderFan · 16 Aug 2018, 20:42 (Ref:3844101)

Who else was available? Pérez? Been there, done that. Grosjean? Flaky. Magnussen? Same as Pérez.

peebee2 · 16 Aug 2018, 20:48 (Ref:3844102)

No top-liner would be that keen although they must have offered Ricciardo Alonso-type money.

Sainz would be cheap if uninspiring and I wouldn’t be surprised if he ends up #2 once again on speed.

chillibowl · 16 Aug 2018, 21:27 (Ref:3844107)

Quote:

Originally Posted by BSchneiderFan

Who else was available? Pérez? Been there, done that. Grosjean? Flaky. Magnussen? Same as Pérez.

until Kimi signs with Ferrari he is still available!

probably a non starter with Kimi though as you have pointed out previously but that was the hope i was holding out for.

personally i do rate Perez and certainly rate him as an overachiever in sub par cars. i would have liked to have seen his return to Woking.

but you are no doubt correct, Sainz was available right now so they picked him up and if he does impress next year i for one will be more than happy to change my opinion on him. actually i look forward to that.

Quote:

Originally Posted by peebee2

No top-liner would be that keen although they must have offered Ricciardo Alonso-type money.

thats one of my questions as well...if they knew Alonso was leaving then how aggressive have they been over the last few months when there were more drivers available.

if DR wasnt an option then was there a deal to be made for the Hulk rather than the driver who lost out at Renault and RB?

blind speculation on may part and maybe they did try different things and Sainz was all that was left to them. i really dont know.

but that just leaves me feeling that this has all been a bit rushed (more for the sake of filling column inches imo)...its not like Sainz was going somewhere else.

they could have waited no?

peebee2 · 16 Aug 2018, 21:40 (Ref:3844109)

Comes across as an Alonso-influenced Brown decision - just like all the other bad choices.

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