McLaren

[Laitinen]

McLaren MP 4-19 with Mercedes FO 110Q is a total failure. But That is not a key problem. The key-problem is the management of the constructor. Engine does not last, it is not something to be trust on. Strategies concerning the races have been very poor. Ferrari and Renault have done their home work but mr. Dennis is explaining that "We know what went wrong and we will fix that." Mr Dennis, Your excuses come too late. Your results have been quite poor during the winter-period, but haven't solve those problems yet. This is not a time to start think what to do, when the whole F1-circus is going on. Mr Dennis, You are one of the main reasons, why McLaren is not a winning team. If all the results are poor or under the capacity, what should happen? What is the best move normally taken? It is the "Time to change management" -manouver.

[Kicking-back]

It's Ron Dennis' team so he won't be going anywhere.

His management of McLaren since 1980 has been very successful - and while the Australian Grand Prix was a bad one, the team has been in worse shape before and has always come back to the front and won a hell of a lot of races.

[Laitinen]

He is not the man he used to be. Has lost his touch. Yesterday's merits do not count for drivers, why should those weight for team managers?

[Kicking-back]

There's no point in trying to have a reasoned discussion with a wind-up merchant.

It's one race.

You're saying 24 years of history is worth nothing because of one bad race.

Go away!

[Adam43]

That is a very football attitude to the situation.

McLaren is huge (hundreds of people work for them) and to say it is Ron's fault is, well, unlikely.

And, as pointed out, it is his team!

[Laitinen]

His reputation as qualified team management and as a strategist has been quite poor for... 3-4 years. It can be even showed by facts. No reason to be over emotional, when it comes to facts. That same is happening for drivers every now and then: "get results or be gone" and "you are as good as your latest race was". Familiar with those?

[Adam43]

Facts, excellent.

Ron has vry little to do with the race stategies. And anyway last year they were the first team to come to grasps with the new rules and exploited them to lead the championships with an inferior car.

Ron also has little to do with the actual design of the car.

Ron does however have a big involvement in putting together a good team. He has developed a very healthy budget (second only to Ferrari?).

Ron is also ultimately responsible for the drivers. For next year he has signed Raikkonen and Montoya! I think he is doing jsut fine!

Should Ron have sacked himself after the 1994-1996 period? Or maybe even Frank should have got rid of himself after 1998-2000 period or poor results? I think Ron will stay after one poor result.

[Kicking-back]

And no one will be hurting more than Ron after a poor performance - despite what some of the so-called fans would like to think.

[chrisrb2002]

Stability of management equates to results., by following the football way Dave Richards would have been gone after last year for his poor results.

[Gt_R]

Hmm..i truly believe that it isnt right to lay the blame at Ron Dennis.

I ain't a fan, but Ron is one of the most particular and ambitious guys (though a little sour) out there and he had done many great things for Mclaren. Mclaren's recent blunders are mere hiccups and not the usual character of Mclaren. Afterall, let us not forget that Mclaren took 2nd place in the WDC despite running a updated 17.

It is in the foundations where the team is getting shaky. The usual organisation of solid base seem to have a few holes in the armour. Frankly, Newey seem to have problems after THAT incident with Jaguar, seemingly losing his touch. Furthermore, Mercedes had failed to produce a powerful and reliable engine for edges, something which for a period of time they were leaders.

Simply, with growing competition from Ferrari/BMW and upcoming Renault, Mercedes is simply not living up to the competition.

It could be the huge restructuring or moving of factory base, what ever the problem they must sort it soon. But it isn't the end of Mclaren. it won't be.