Which Team is hard to drive for?

OZ_HCR32 · 15 Jul 2006, 04:42 (Ref:1656648)

This could be a double sided question, as the other driver also obvioulsy part of the team. So Ferrari alongside MS is perhaps the most obvious team, which whilst a great opportunity, may be difficult to conduct your trade.

But lately, looking at the lease of life in DC and looking at what has just happened to Montoya, has got me thinking about how hard would McLaren be to drive for?

Irrespective of your ability, with Kimi being the chosen son of McLaren, much like Mika and DC, later Kimi and DC...is it hard for the team mate to shine?

Thiking back to when DC first joined McLaren, he had the measure ok Mika, adn had to pull over for some of Mika 1st GP wins. DC seemed to struggle at the hand of Finnish McLaren drivers ?!?!!?

So would Montoya had done better for himself to try out another team after McLaren, or not have gone to McLaren in the first instance?

What does this mean for other drivers looking to be Alonso's team mate? Will it be a hard seat to occupy?

the.cosmic.pope · 15 Jul 2006, 05:04 (Ref:1656654)

Im thinking the same as you tbh.

Mika done well at McLaren. DC struggled, JPM struggled, and Kimi got screwed by McMercs reliability.

But its not just drivers. McLaren lost alot of staff recently. Seems Ron is a hard man to work for too!

BootsOntheSide · 15 Jul 2006, 10:04 (Ref:1656738)

Not sure what it is about McLaren - maybe Ron is a very demanding employer, maybe he isn't good at nurturing people on an emotional level, or maybe he tends to favouritise drivers - but a lot of people have struggled to be happy and successful in the team.

**Bononi** · 15 Jul 2006, 12:23 (Ref:1656810)

I always thought Minardi was hard to drive for... now it must be midland.

goodhorsehymn · 15 Jul 2006, 13:18 (Ref:1656837)

Toyota. They seem to get bored of drivers fairly quickly.

Splatz the Cow · 15 Jul 2006, 15:46 (Ref:1656945)

Dunno, I've had knock-backs from all of them.

Rennen · 15 Jul 2006, 16:58 (Ref:1656989)

"Teams hard to drive for"...is a bit of an open question! If you are referring to the team Politics, we would never get the true inside picture, from this side of the fence.
Look at Williams and the Mansell and Hill drama's of old, the Button transfer deal etc. Some drivers can play the politics game like Prost and Schumi much to their advantage.

Consider also most teams now, are run by powerful businessmen, who want to win the political high ground, that's their main game. Drivers are just highly overpaid employees, as we've seen with how RD is handling the JPM situation..."JPM is still under contract"
Look how FB totally demoralised JB, to make space for Alonso.

If you are referring to "which team is hard to drive for" equipment-wise then it's always going to be the slower teams, with less resources, especially these days were the driver is...what 10-15% of the equation!

OZ_HCR32 · 16 Jul 2006, 00:31 (Ref:1657190)

I was more thinking the politics. I would have always thought that if you were a team manager then you would always want BOTH drivers racing up the front.

Now no doubt thats the case, but there does seem to be a tide in certain teams that no matter how much talent is in the "other" seat, they will nto achieve the results of the other, in fact be asked from time to time to pull over and forfeit their opportunities at race wins.

At this point in time i get the feeling that McLaren are just as hard to drive for as Ferrari, with regards to inernal politics. So, im kond of hoping Kimi takes the opportunity to try and beat Alonso in the same equipment. It will be interesting to see if Alonso takes a beating.

Dixie Flatline · 16 Jul 2006, 14:02 (Ref:1657504)

There are several answers to the question.

One answer is where the team seems to have a "favoured driver" and the other driver must scrap for every ounce from the team to improve his car. Ferrari and Schumacher and McLaren and Raikkonen pop immediately into my head.

The second answer is where the team is not going well as a whole and is disappointing for a variety of reasons. So you'd be looking at Williams and Honda in particular.

Third, the team where the resources are simply not available to maintain the development of the car, for whatever reason. In this case, Midland and Super Aguri are the prime candidates, assuming the mantle of Jordan and Minardi respectively.

Greenback · 17 Jul 2006, 07:26 (Ref:1657987)

Quote:

Originally Posted by BootsOntheSide

Not sure what it is about McLaren - maybe Ron is a very demanding employer, maybe he isn't good at nurturing people on an emotional level, or maybe he tends to favouritise drivers - but a lot of people have struggled to be happy and successful in the team.

I am thinking along the same line too. I suspect he management style has been heavily influenced by how he like things to get done at his MTC.

This interview of AN seems to shed some light about what is going on in mclaren. (Sorry in German only, please use google to do a translation).

http://www.auto-motor-und-sport.de/s...ern.103477.htm

Matski · 17 Jul 2006, 16:56 (Ref:1658376)

I spoke to 3 guys from the Mclaren Garage at silverstone.. they shall remain anonymous, but, when questioned "is Ron Dennis a ****?" they all smiled and said nothing. Draw your own conclusions.

Knowlesy · 17 Jul 2006, 17:54 (Ref:1658424)

I have drawn a conclusion, but I best not say it.

**Bononi** · 17 Jul 2006, 22:32 (Ref:1658667)

I guess you chose "the best" people to ask such question !

beau1 · 18 Jul 2006, 00:31 (Ref:1658719)

i would say that honda is a very hard team to drive for at the moment. The team are on a bit of a downward spiral at the moment. Evertything the team does seems to go wrong. The drivers must be wondering if what to do if it gets much worse. Both are talented ish but button is'nt living up to his high (too-high) potencial..and rubens must find it hard coming from ferrari.

Dutton · 18 Jul 2006, 16:09 (Ref:1659250)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matski

I spoke to 3 guys from the Mclaren Garage at silverstone.. they shall remain anonymous, but, when questioned "is Ron Dennis a ****?" they all smiled and said nothing. Draw your own conclusions.

I would love it if you could elaborate here. I am not asking for names (not that many of us would likely recognise them anyway).

I just find it interesting that you are in a position whereby you could ask that question of Mclaren employees.

Do you know them, or whatever, or did you jump out from behind a post at a test and ambush them? The smiling and saying nothing could well be a very sensible response to such a madman.

I think you really need to provide a context to your claim, Matski, otherwise it just comes across as total bull.

Splatz the Cow · 18 Jul 2006, 16:35 (Ref:1659263)

Matski they were just stalling until the men in white coats came.

Anway, people often have disagreements at work, but in the end there is only one boss.

Matski · 18 Jul 2006, 17:27 (Ref:1659296)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dutton

I would love it if you could elaborate here. I am not asking for names (not that many of us would likely recognise them anyway).

Pitlane & Paddock Silverstone testing 2006 - whilst my mate was waiting for JPM. My mate likes JPM, but not Mclaren, we figured (baring in mind all the c*** RD spouts on TV about his team and his drivers) that it was an appropriate question to ask. I guess all 'companies' have disgruntled employees...

I personally wanted to ask Norbert if he's still paying the bounty on Han Solo

Splatz the Cow · 18 Jul 2006, 17:35 (Ref:1659302)

I don't get it....

Can I have a hint?

Skam85 · 19 Jul 2006, 09:04 (Ref:1659805)

He thinks Norbert Haug is Jabba the Hutt?

**Bononi** · 19 Jul 2006, 17:09 (Ref:1660135)

Problably.

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