2021 Mclaren F1 Team

[Stu]

Will it be a good weekend for McLaren? Not seen much in way of upgrades lately, so they have most likely switched fully to 2022. Cannot blame them to be fair, the Ferrari battery upgrade has seen a step-change in pace from their main rival. Maybe finishing fourth has budget cap/CFD benefits that outweigh the difference in prize money?

[Emag]

Will it be a good weekend for McLaren? Not seen much in way of upgrades lately, so they have most likely switched fully to 2022. Cannot blame them to be fair, the Ferrari battery upgrade has seen a step-change in pace from their main rival. Maybe finishing fourth has budget cap/CFD benefits that outweigh the difference in prize money?

At this point, we are no longer the favorites for P3. It's not ours to win but rather Ferrari's to lose.

I would just chill these last couple of races and enjoy the title battle in front. It's annoying to lose P3 to Ferrari but I take "solace" in the fact that this was a very good year for McLaren as they improved drastically compared to last season. Let's just hope the reg reset next year is kind to us so that the team can take that next step.

[ScottR267]

Looks like Huski Chocolate are no longer partners

They are still on the car on the upper end of the nose

Thanks!
I also checked the Mclaren Partners page on their website again and found Huski Chocolate right at the bottom! They had been closer to the top previously so I started to give up looking halfway down
They must still have wound their involvement down to loose the rear wind exposure.

Huski Chocolate also on the inside of the halo this weekend

[McL-H]

This track seems to suit us more than it does to Ferrari. Let’s hope for good luck on our part this weekend so we can close the gap to Ferrari. I expect Jeddah to be a horrible weekend for us, unless Ferrari suffers from technical problems over there we will lose big time to them. The new Abu Dhabi I have no idea of, but the old Abu Dhabi would have suited our car pretty well.. tables have turned against us in this fight for 3rd but it is not over yet.

[Xero]

Hard to take much away from FP1 and FP2, but McLaren do appear to have the edge over Ferrari here. It's just that Alpha Tauri are continuing their recent uplift in speed and look 3rd quickest. Aston Martin also look reasonably quick, so there is potential here to make a decent gain on Ferrari in the constructors. Like I said, that's like me trying to form sentences in alphabet soup at this stage though.

[mwillems]

I guess it depends how much folks are saving their engines now. We look like we can get a decent result though, which is nice and are not obviously lacking behind.

As Emag mentioned, I'm just enjoying the racing with one eye on the title now. Hoping that after last weeks driving by Max that he gets done over by Hamilton. And I haven't supported him since he left Mclaren.

[adrianjordan]

Will it be a good weekend for McLaren? Not seen much in way of upgrades lately, so they have most likely switched fully to 2022. Cannot blame them to be fair, the Ferrari battery upgrade has seen a step-change in pace from their main rival. Maybe finishing fourth has budget cap/CFD benefits that outweigh the difference in prize money?

At this point, we are no longer the favorites for P3. It's not ours to win but rather Ferrari's to lose.

I would just chill these last couple of races and enjoy the title battle in front. It's annoying to lose P3 to Ferrari but I take "solace" in the fact that this was a very good year for McLaren as they improved drastically compared to last season. Let's just hope the reg reset next year is kind to us so that the team can take that next step.

I definitely agree.

I'm hoping for another podium or two in these last 3 races. Preferably on merit, but if it ends up being because of Lewis and Max punting each other off, then I'll still take it lol

[Mansell89]

Initial signs are promising IMO.

Yes, Lewis and Max will really turn it up tomorrow, but we’re within half a second of Bottas and usually make a nice step on a Saturday so I’m looking forward to seeing where we can put the car tomorrow.

[the EDGE]

Does Lando believe he can beat everyone on the grid…

[diffuser]

From the article on Motirsport.com, VW group is looking at ONLY one brand joining F1. So it’s either Audi or Porsche, which in effect is either McLaren or Red Bull. With RBR already investing in RB Powertrains and taking over the Honda IP, wouldn’t they be a more attractive prospect?

What is the prospect? Buying RB Powertrains out and rebranding and restaffing it or just paying for a rebranding? Because RB have already amassed a good amount of talent for the project, will have leftover Honda tech which is apparently quite good now we could say, so I don't see what VAG could bring to the table. Also lots of Honda employees are staying on. If the the engines are simplified in the future then RB will be even better placed with even less need for VAG "expertise".

I'm not really seeing where VAG fit with RBR other than a sponsor. Not sure what will be worth more to RB... "Alpha Tauri-RB Powertrains" plus maybe another team... "Sauber-RBR Powertrains" Vs "Red Bull Racing Porsche" and however it would work name wise with other related teams using a VAG rebranded RBP engine.

As for McLaren, I think and hope they'll stay with Mercedes and have a closer partnership. But who the hell knows. Think of everything that has happened in the past 6 years and all the things that could happen in the next 6 years.

With Honda, RBR got the PUs for free plus plus $. In 2022 they have to spend a Shiit load of $s to keep making those PUs whiles everyone else can buy those PU for $5M. I think this RBR PU experiment is more about not having to go back to Renault for them. I think if a better option came around they would accept it. I can't see the up side for RBR spending $100+ on developing their own PU when they can get 1 from someone else for free.

It would actually make more sense for McLaren to do that as they can then tie it to their road cars.

[Xero]

From the article on Motirsport.com, VW group is looking at ONLY one brand joining F1. So it’s either Audi or Porsche, which in effect is either McLaren or Red Bull. With RBR already investing in RB Powertrains and taking over the Honda IP, wouldn’t they be a more attractive prospect?

What is the prospect? Buying RB Powertrains out and rebranding and restaffing it or just paying for a rebranding? Because RB have already amassed a good amount of talent for the project, will have leftover Honda tech which is apparently quite good now we could say, so I don't see what VAG could bring to the table. Also lots of Honda employees are staying on. If the the engines are simplified in the future then RB will be even better placed with even less need for VAG "expertise".

I'm not really seeing where VAG fit with RBR other than a sponsor. Not sure what will be worth more to RB... "Alpha Tauri-RB Powertrains" plus maybe another team... "Sauber-RBR Powertrains" Vs "Red Bull Racing Porsche" and however it would work name wise with other related teams using a VAG rebranded RBP engine.

As for McLaren, I think and hope they'll stay with Mercedes and have a closer partnership. But who the hell knows. Think of everything that has happened in the past 6 years and all the things that could happen in the next 6 years.

With Honda, RBR got the PUs for free plus plus $. In 2022 they have to spend a Shiit load of $s to keep making those PUs whiles everyone else can buy those PU for $5M. I think this RBR PU experiment is more about not having to go back to Renault for them. I think if a better option came around they would accept it. I can't see the up side for RBR spending $100+ on developing their own PU when they can get 1 from someone else for free.

It would actually make more sense for McLaren to do that as they can then tie it to their road cars.

I think all talk of VAG joining with McLaren or Red Bull is just smoke at this point, just hypothesis based on possible destinations. Red Bull are spending serious cash and effort getting their Honda takeover under way, and it seems there will be some long term Honda support involved. I cannot see them making a u-turn. Same with McLaren, there's no reason for McLaren to ditch Mercedes (who I still believe have the best overall package). Going with a fresh PU project is going to take years to mature, would be a gamble. I can see a team like Williams making that jump over any other.

[Jolle]

What is the prospect? Buying RB Powertrains out and rebranding and restaffing it or just paying for a rebranding? Because RB have already amassed a good amount of talent for the project, will have leftover Honda tech which is apparently quite good now we could say, so I don't see what VAG could bring to the table. Also lots of Honda employees are staying on. If the the engines are simplified in the future then RB will be even better placed with even less need for VAG "expertise".

I'm not really seeing where VAG fit with RBR other than a sponsor. Not sure what will be worth more to RB... "Alpha Tauri-RB Powertrains" plus maybe another team... "Sauber-RBR Powertrains" Vs "Red Bull Racing Porsche" and however it would work name wise with other related teams using a VAG rebranded RBP engine.

As for McLaren, I think and hope they'll stay with Mercedes and have a closer partnership. But who the hell knows. Think of everything that has happened in the past 6 years and all the things that could happen in the next 6 years.

With Honda, RBR got the PUs for free plus plus $. In 2022 they have to spend a Shiit load of $s to keep making those PUs whiles everyone else can buy those PU for $5M. I think this RBR PU experiment is more about not having to go back to Renault for them. I think if a better option came around they would accept it. I can't see the up side for RBR spending $100+ on developing their own PU when they can get 1 from someone else for free.

It would actually make more sense for McLaren to do that as they can then tie it to their road cars.

I think all talk of VAG joining with McLaren or Red Bull is just smoke at this point, just hypothesis based on possible destinations. Red Bull are spending serious cash and effort getting their Honda takeover under way, and it seems there will be some long term Honda support involved. I cannot see them making a u-turn. Same with McLaren, there's no reason for McLaren to ditch Mercedes (who I still believe have the best overall package). Going with a fresh PU project is going to take years to mature, would be a gamble. I can see a team like Williams making that jump over any other.

For Volkswagen AG to step into F1, they need a base, especially when they want to hit the ground running. A set up workshop and design studio from RedBull is an excellent opportunity and saves a lot of money and time in the process. RedBull would earn back their investments into their own PU department back with lots of change

[Xero]

For Volkswagen AG to step into F1, they need a base, especially when they want to hit the ground running. A set up workshop and design studio from RedBull is an excellent opportunity and saves a lot of money and time in the process. RedBull would earn back their investments into their own PU department back with lots of change

I'm not so sure, VAG taking up Red Bull/Honda's PU department and designs as a base may appear like a rebadge at first. I think VAG would want to bring in their own identity and DNA from the get go. But stranger things have happened in the world of F1, so who knows!

[Xero]

FP3 hasn't really filled me with any confidence going into qually. Hoping it's just the team looking after engines.

[blastdoman]

Well, this is what there is to fight for points with Alfa Romeo Alpine and Williams