Should McLaren return to Mercedes?

[GoranF1]

Whats funny and interesting is that Mercedes rumor came at the same day as Mika Hakkinen news.

[Phil]

Why in gods name would Mercedes supply McLaren? It's not as if Mercedes is running short on customers. If they were and there weren't any ulterior motives, they would have happily supplied RedBull in 2016 too.

Reality check: Mercedes don't need McLaren. McLaren needs an engine though. And at the moment, they have the partnership THEY wanted. That partnership even went that far, that they refused Honda to supply RedBull in 2016. They better make it work, and prey that they do, because I can't see them being supplied by anyone else. The only option I'd see might be Renault.

All other ideas, like BMW, is an unrealistic dream. As competence as BMW may be, I'm sure no one wants to go through the bad publicity Honda has faced the past 2 years that is bordering on humiliation. No one wants to play catch up. Expect perhaps new manufacturers to jump in if the engine formula will be changed and everyone starts from scratch. If this doesn't happen, I don't see the incentive for others to join.

[Sonador]

Whats funny and interesting is that Mercedes rumor came at the same day as Mika Hakkinen news.

It is just Ron Dennis disguised as Hakinnen to take control of Mclaren again!



But it is a bit strange indeed, but it was a stake owner who contacted Mercedes, not Mclaren directly?

[bauc]

I think that this talk about Mclaren going back to Mercedes is sort of a bluff and the last message for a change of Honda's approach in order to finally realize that they have not put enough effort and investment into doing the job correctly. Nobody expected miracles from Honda, but they haven't even build decent PU so Mclaren can develop the chassis around it.

[CBeck113]

Why in gods name would Mercedes supply McLaren? It's not as if Mercedes is running short on customers.

They would actually have little to lose, they could even supply 2016 engines if they wanted to do so. But, if Mercedes is playing with the idea of leaving, then wouldn't it be nice for them to have two teams capable of winning (those being ex-Merc and McL, I don't see Williams as a winning team solely due to their financials)?
It's just a thought; I'm not too concerned at the moment for McLaren, they'll be fine, but need a major shake-up to win again...like Mercedes leaving...

[GoranF1]

I think that this talk about Mclaren going back to Mercedes is sort of a bluff and the last message for a change of Honda's approach in order to finally realize that they have not put enough effort and investment into doing the job correctly. Nobody expected miracles from Honda, but they haven't even build decent PU so Mclaren can develop the chassis around it.

Agreed.

[langwadt]

Why in gods name would Mercedes supply McLaren? It's not as if Mercedes is running short on customers. If they were and there weren't any ulterior motives, they would have happily supplied RedBull in 2016 too.

afaiu ther reason mercedes couldn't just supply redbull was that mercedes and renault build cars together and own parts of each other so mercedes didn't want to step on renault

[adrianjordan]

I'm sure the prospect of being beaten by RBR's Newey designed car didn't help either!!

[ME4ME]

Why in gods name would Mercedes supply McLaren? It's not as if Mercedes is running short on customers.

They would actually have little to lose, they could even supply 2016 engines if they wanted to do so. But, if Mercedes is playing with the idea of leaving, then wouldn't it be nice for them to have two teams capable of winning (those being ex-Merc and McL, I don't see Williams as a winning team solely due to their financials)?
It's just a thought; I'm not too concerned at the moment for McLaren, they'll be fine, but need a major shake-up to win again...like Mercedes leaving...

I was thinking the exakt same thing. If and when Mercedes decide that they want to withdraw from the sport because there is no more to gain and much to lose, then the best way is to only withdraw the race team and not the engine division. They have contracts with Williams and Force India which they cannot just ignore. Might as well make Mclaren their new flagship team like in the old days and supply engines until the current era comes to an end.

For Mercedes, there is no real downside. Currently they have more resources and more manpower than Mclaren anyway. They should beat them using the same power, and chassi-PU integration will always be on Mercedes side.

[f1316]

It's also worth remembering that, if Honda does pull out, one of the other manufacturers *has* to supply McLaren - that's in the regs.

Exactly how it's decided who has to is not clear (at least not to me) but it may be that McLaren are simply trying to get a jump on the inevitable; like I say, the manufacturers don't really have a choice.

[Phil]

Good points about Mercedes leaving. That is of course a possibility. Though I think Mercedes should be clear for at least until end 2020 or something. At least both Toto and Niki extended their contracts. That of course doesn't mean that Mercedes is forced to stay (though there are contracts in place with FOM?).

I think the biggest fear is that Honda throws the towel. What they are experiencing is beyond humiliation. I'm amazed they are still putting up with that, especially in the way McLaren are outspoken enough to be pointing fingers directly at their engine supplier and partner. Given how much Honda is spending on McLaren too, I would personally be careful about that and if I were responsible, I would make sure Alonso, Eric and the rest of the team are gagged when speaking to the press regarding performance.

Again, yes, the engine is obviously a main weak point, but as I have said numerous times; it's a team effort and some of that engine goes down to the planing that both McLaren and Honda did together.

[The_table]

As long as Honda has hope they will not leave, and they seem to be pretty confident, they are in it for the long run, that is the Japanese way.

The Japanese are too proud of a people to quit like this..after two short seasons.

correct me if i'm wrong but merc have been supplying engines since 1994, Renault since 2000...Honda since 2015 ....spot the difference?

edit:I meant from then until now without leaving....

[Manoah2u]

really? i suggest you dig a bit further back in F1 and you'll find out just how many years Mercedes has been in F1, how much longer Renault has been in F1, and Honda aswell.

[Pierce89]

Whats funny and interesting is that Mercedes rumor came at the same day as Mika Hakkinen news.

It is just Ron Dennis disguised as Hakinnen to take control of Mclaren again!



But it is a bit strange indeed, but it was a stake owner who contacted Mercedes, not Mclaren directly?

I've read that Mansour Ojjeh made the call to Merc.

[mrluke]

Given how Mclaren have treated Honda, would you really want to supply them? All they will do is moan that the Mercedes engine they get is "b" grade and holding them back.

Mclaren need to stick with it and sort it out. They wanted to be a "works" team, they bought Honda into this and forced them into exclusivity. They have made their bed and it's their turn to lie in it.

Spoiler alert, we are in for another "transition year"