2017 Mclaren F1 Team - Honda

[santos]

Well, if they keep the car in the garage, maybe they won't have any problems today... that's a nice programme. On a more serious speech, i really hope that Mclaren to sort their problems. This is making bad to the company, and even to F1.

[Vasconia]

What I´d say is RBR has been trying to fight Mercedes as hard as even trying a PU re-brand (Tag-heuer) with new developers to improve the PU further than the actual manufacturer was able to, and while failing, Ferrari has been fighting RBR, wich they only managed to do the season where RBR PU was heavily underpowered

Last year Renault had a better PU and still was Ferrari slightly ahead of RB. Sadly the Scuderia failed to improve the car properly so it was finally beaten by them.

Anyway if Renault improves again the PU RB could beat Mercedes which would demonstrate that you can win without the best PU if you have the best chasis. I can accept that Honda has been taking some risks but results may come if they don´t want to be a failure project.

If Ferrari has improved enough to fight(and hopefully beat) Mercedes they will show that the Germans can be beaten with a constant work. If Honda wants to make the same, they need to improve and magic solutions are not the only path to do it. During Schumacher´s years the scuderia became the top 1 because of a constant evolution and improvement during 3-4 seasons.

[namao]

If McLaren Honda can't make a 1:20-1:21 lap time at test, I assume this year would be a nightmare for them (fighting with Sauber or Haas)

[Alonso Fan]

If McLaren Honda can't make a 1:20-1:21 lap time at test, I assume this year would be a nightmare for them (fighting with Sauber or Haas)

They'll easily do that. Vandoorne did a mid 1:22 on mediums yesterday

[RS200E]

Nearly 40 min in the pits wonder what's wrong.

[Thunder]

Nearly 40 min in the pits wonder what's wrong.

Hopefully just to get the Melbourne Spec PU in..... https://twitter.com/piusgasso/status/839442608669790209

[namao]

Actually I think this classification is pretty accurate for Melbourne.
1. Mercedes/Ferrari/RedBull/Williams in the first positions.
2. McLaren Honda fighting with Sauber and Haas. https://twitter.com/F1/status/839451342800359424

[BosF1]

The tweet says: "It's confirmed they started to demount the PU of the McLaren. Why? I don't know, but I don't think it's a good signal."

I think it might be their regular engine change during lunch break. It is sort of becoming a tradition after all...

[Jef Patat]

I'm wondering if we should say 'mandatory' engine switch, that's not to complain but it starts to look like this engine is not capable of more, it's looking more and more like a fact.

[i70q7m7ghw]

Actually I think this classification is pretty accurate for Melbourne.
1. Mercedes/Ferrari/RedBull/Williams in the first positions.
2. McLaren Honda fighting with Sauber and Haas.
https://twitter.com/F1/status/839451342800359424

And without Manor this year, a real chance of finishing dead last at some races.

[taperoo2k]

I'm wondering if we should say 'mandatory' engine switch, that's not to complain but it starts to look like this engine is not capable of more, it's looking more and more like a fact.

Well Honda crates turned up at the track, so it's either the 2017 spec PU or it's just more of the same.

[BrunoH]

well lets hope its the Melbourne spec, because at this rate not only will they start last in the grid... but they wont even make race distance...

[GoranF1]

well lets hope its the Melbourne spec, because at this rate not only will they start last in the grid... but they wont even make race distance...

Its not.

[RedNEO]

https://twitter.com/f1talks/status/839442513953964033

[Anthropolyte]

Seems a bit... unlikely. Hard to get a sense of scale on those boxes, but they look way too small to hold an entire PU, even in bits.