Spanish Grand Prix: 14 May

last SG · 2006-05-14T23:25:03+00:00

Heng, I am glad that I am not the only one that say Mclaren's performance this season is deteriorating. Expert View: Gary Anderson Monday, 15 May 14:31 BST...

Kuali Baba SG

For once I was wrong, and everyone went for 2 pitstops (except for JV). Bridgestone did not have the better tyres here.

Gazelle SG

I wonder why MS was unable to catch up with alonso when Massa was able to clock the fastest lap time. the championship is definitely getting more and more interesting and it will be interesting to see the qualifying at Monaco in 2 weeks time. I believe renault will have an edge over the ferrari.

[email protected] SG

big "if" isn't it? say wheres the magic that u say mclaren's aero team is workin at RBR? how come RBR aren't even solidly in the midfield? if their leaving hurt McLaren as significantly as u say it has, it should also have some significant improvement on RBR cars, so where is it?

[email protected] SG

someone wasn't using the car to its maximum then. Laughing

Kuali Baba SG

Newey officially joined in February IIRC. Any influence he might have should be restricted to aero upgrades over the course of the season.

Methinks McLaren and Kimi can bounce back in Monaco. He has the talent, a new engine, some testing at Valencia in the run-up and they are usually strong there.

[email protected] SG

exactly. WHERE are these aero upgrades? Why aren't they holding their own in the midfield? I'm not expecting them to challenge the top 4. I'm just not expecting them to be moving backwards. If the 2 men have such a significant impact on the aero dept of McLaren that McLaren have only leapfrogged Honda in terms of outright speed since the season's start, how come the team they went to are moving backwards?

I don't think the impact they have on McLaren is as significant as some people here are suggesting. If u have a good basic infrastructural department already laid out, the basic design philosophy that was already in existance in that dept doesn't disappear overnight because some key people have left. In fact u open the way for an evolution of ideas by bringing someone new in.

I don't agree that McLaren is not fast enough now because some ppl have left. There were periods when these men were at McLaren and McLaren wasn't fast enough either, esp in the latter part of 03, and the 1st half of 04. An engineering dept is so complex and interlinked that u cannot quantify the loss of a few personel as a total talent drain. We've seen that with Renault when Mike Gascoynne left.

Gazelle SG

The current RBR car is not designed and built by the current aero team. And if the car has a fundamental design or aero flaw, the logical thing to do is to design a totally new car for next year and stop wasting your resources in trying to improving on something that doesnt work. To see the effect of the technical team you should look at least 1 year ahead.

At the moment, we are already seeing a deteriorating MP-21 relative to its competitors who are also running on the same tyres.

[email protected] SG

yea 'deteriorating' so much that they only passed honda in terms of outright speed.

So u really think u can stop developing the car over the course of an F1 season? Laughing If RBR were doing that, they'd be behind Super Aguri.

F1 teams ALWAYS have to improve on something even if it doesn't work. If it doesn't work, all the more u have to improve it. So how come RBR aren't even maintaining their position within the midfield? How come they're sliding backwards? Wheres the magic this magical duo are supposed to work? Even if the car is not designed by them, they should be able to introduce enough aero upgrades to NOT slide backwards. At the rate RBR is sliding backwards, thats amazing magic alright. Laughing

Its just amazing what u consider 'deteriorating' and what isn't. Like I said, not biased at all.

Gazelle SG

Jean Todt seems to be focusing more on Kimi than Mclaren. Laughing I wonder why??

Kimi is currently trailing Alonso 27 points in the WDC, and Mclaren is trailing Renault 36 points. On top of that, Ferrari is fighting for win. The only way for Mclaren to win anything this season for Renault and Ferrari DNFs.

[email protected] SG

because thats what happened in the European GP duh. Laughing

Its obvious he's talking about MCLAREN (and honda in the article as well)

but i guess for some people, u see only what u wanna see. *shrugs*

Gazelle SG

I am sure all team make improvement to their cars over the season regardless if they are running in front or at the back. (They have 400+ people working for the team leh, you expect them to go on holiday or what? :lol Smile

The only question is if the improvement made do contribute to significant gain in performance and also the speed of improvement. As for Mclaren's case, they seem to be lagging behind ferrari and renault.

AN has already make it very clear that his role at RBR is to concentrate on next season's car (Have you noticed that AN doesnt attend all the race weekend?)

[email protected] SG

so u're saying that he won't have ANY input into the aero improvement of this season's car? U expect that to be taken as a logical answer? Laughing

Gazelle SG

I think you should learn to read between the lines and take their comments with a pinch of salt.

[email protected] SG

i am reading between the lines. Theres a reason they're not writing off McLaren. The only comments to be taken with a pinch of salt are yours. Laughing

But hey, what do we expect? Its you. don't think too much, its not healthy for u ya?

Gazelle SG

Of course he does, but that is not his PRIORITY.

People of AN calibre is to design cars that can compete infront no mid field, and that is what he is paid to do.

[email protected] SG

so its ok for the team to slide backwards and not get the aero genius to at least stop the slide. I see I see. Laughing

our F1 genius Gaz speaks.

Gazelle SG

Really? If so, why are you still denying that fact that Kimi is leaving Mclaren for good. Laughing

You are doing this selectively I guess. Mc Fan!!

[email protected] SG

Because its not confirmed in any way. Hey u were the one who told us they'll announce his signing with Ferrari in Imola too. Laughing

So if its so confirmed, how come Renault is now in the picture too?

because, nothing is official. U're the selective one here remember? Mc hater?

Gazelle SG

Red Bull is not own by a car manufacturer and they are a team with very very deep pocket. RB has already make it clear that their aim in F1 is to compete for championship and not to collect points.

My advice to you is that if you want to judge aero department capability, you should do it next year, not now.

Are you just sore because AN walkout of Ron Dennis? Are you going to be MORE sore if kimi walk out of Mclaren to join Ferrari? Laughing

[email protected] SG

No so it dun matter if RBR become a backmarker team. Thats how F1 works I guess. Laughing U throw tons of $ away for nothing.

RB can forget about the championship as long as they use Ferrari engines. U use an engine from someone else who has a vested interested in beating u, you can have the best aero design in the world and u're not going to win jack. If RBR is so concerned about the world championship, they've basically shot themselves in the foot haven't they? Laughing

I don't have to be sore really. McLaren has tons of other good designers. sure, they're no AN, but people like Neil are not to be blown off. McLaren's competitive year-old car in 03 might have originally been designed by AN, but it was Neil who got it to atually work while AN worked on the abortive MP4-18. Kimi can leave Mc but Alonso is joining. Next year is next year, and till then, we can see who has the last laugh.

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