2019 Mclaren F1 Team - Renault

[ALO_Power]

I think we should give some credit to the team, guys. Ok, Norris' lap was good but if Sainz wasn't obstructed by Kubica, you don't know where he would qualify, he could even be ahead. Norris is a great talent but don't forget that this was his 1st ever qualifying session in an F1 car, this was definitely not his peak drive. That means that the team has done a fantastic job creating a decent car coming from such terrible conditions when even Alonso with his heroic laps last year didn't manage Q3.

[Macklaren]

Have in mind that Mercedes's success has Mclaren written all over it.After all they took half of our personel when they left along with most of our aerodynamic team and Hamilton. Then they bought Brawn GP who used to be Bar Honda who was already a good team.

The bottom line is that even my grandma can succeed when it's success is set up witj resources of others. Lame and boring.Its much more honest tp build up your own team and succeed.

Also have in mind that F1 is nothing without Mclaren,Ferrari or Williams.They have the majority of supporters and it's no wonder the best F1 years were the times that those teams shined. Nobody would care if Mercedes or Red Bull leave.

...and Red Bull took the other half. This is a very important point that is usually overlooked

[Dipesh1995]

Have in mind that Mercedes's success has Mclaren written all over it.After all they took half of our personel when they left along with most of our aerodynamic team and Hamilton. Then they bought Brawn GP who used to be Bar Honda who was already a good team.

You say that but I’ve been looking at the LinkedIn profiles of some of the aerodynamicist/CFD engineers currently at Mercedes and yet to come across one that has previously worked at McLaren. There probably are a few that did leave to go to Mercedes but I doubt that number is very significant.

[trinidefender]

Have in mind that Mercedes's success has Mclaren written all over it.After all they took half of our personel when they left along with most of our aerodynamic team and Hamilton. Then they bought Brawn GP who used to be Bar Honda who was already a good team.

You say that but I’ve been looking at the LinkedIn profiles of some of the aerodynamicist/CFD engineers currently at Mercedes and yet to come across one that has previously worked at McLaren. There probably are a few that did leave to go to Mercedes but I doubt that number is very significant.

Considering that they have aero departments with a few hundred people, that's a hard thing to gauge just by checking LinkedIn profiles.

[Dipesh1995]

Have in mind that Mercedes's success has Mclaren written all over it.After all they took half of our personel when they left along with most of our aerodynamic team and Hamilton. Then they bought Brawn GP who used to be Bar Honda who was already a good team.

You say that but I’ve been looking at the LinkedIn profiles of some of the aerodynamicist/CFD engineers currently at Mercedes and yet to come across one that has previously worked at McLaren. There probably are a few that did leave to go to Mercedes but I doubt that number is very significant.

Considering that they have aero departments with a few hundred people, that's a hard thing to gauge just by checking LinkedIn profiles.

True but if a lot had left McLaren to go to Mercedes as Darth suggests, at least a couple would appear considering I’ve looked at a lot of profiles (I’m not stalking them btw )

[Darth-Piekus]

Andrian Newey and Peter Prodrommou left to Red Bull. Paddy Lowe left to Mercedes. I also remember Norberg Haug left to Mercedes though I'm not sure if he was Mercedes from the start. Still all I'm saying is that the team who dominated the 1998 and 1999 was dismantled. It's no wonder their performance dropped. The good thing though is that they are creating a team just as good as the pne who have lost.

[GPR-A]

You say that but I’ve been looking at the LinkedIn profiles of some of the aerodynamicist/CFD engineers currently at Mercedes and yet to come across one that has previously worked at McLaren. There probably are a few that did leave to go to Mercedes but I doubt that number is very significant.

Considering that they have aero departments with a few hundred people, that's a hard thing to gauge just by checking LinkedIn profiles.

True but if a lot had left McLaren to go to Mercedes as Darth suggests, at least a couple would appear considering I’ve looked at a lot of profiles (I’m not stalking them btw )

Considering the fact that, Mercedes bought Brawn GP, which was originally Honda Racing, operating from Brackley, there were hardly any McLaren folks in there.
Geoff Willis (Engineering Director of Merc) was from BAR Honda, who then worked at Red Bull and later headed HRT, before Brawn snapped him.
Mike Elliott, who is their technology director, originated from McLaren and then he went to Renault, from where Brawn snapped him.
Those are the key aero gurus at Mercedes.
John Owen, who is their Chief Designer, originated from Sauber.
James Allison originates from Ferrari.
Aldo Costa came from Ferrari.

It is these guys, who built the team to what it is today and there isn't a whole lot of McLaren influence there.

However, Paddy Lowe was another guys who worked briefly at Merc.

[GPR-A]

Andrian Newey and Peter Prodrommou left to Red Bull. Paddy Lowe left to Mercedes. I also remember Norberg Haug left to Mercedes though I'm not sure if he was Mercedes from the start. Still all I'm saying is that the team who dominated the 1998 and 1999 was dismantled. It's no wonder their performance dropped. The good thing though is that they are creating a team just as good as the pne who have lost.

Norbert Haug was the Mercedes official, leading their Engine division and racing operations, while McLaren was their works partner. In fact, it's him who convinced the Mercedes board to own their own racing team and engineered the Brawn GP acquisition.

[Darth-Piekus]

All I am saying is that Mclaren who used to be top from 1998 to 2012 was dismantled and that caused the whole drop. The good thing is that they are returning with a new and hopefully even better team than before.

[charliesmithhd]

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/arti ... j0YES.html
not sure if anyone has posted this link yet, but its the video of sainz and kubica

[Jolle]

Andrian Newey and Peter Prodrommou left to Red Bull. Paddy Lowe left to Mercedes. I also remember Norberg Haug left to Mercedes though I'm not sure if he was Mercedes from the start. Still all I'm saying is that the team who dominated the 1998 and 1999 was dismantled. It's no wonder their performance dropped. The good thing though is that they are creating a team just as good as the pne who have lost.

Norbert Haug was the Mercedes official, leading their Engine division and racing operations, while McLaren was their works partner. In fact, it's him who convinced the Mercedes board to own their own racing team and engineered the Brawn GP acquisition.

McLaren was Mercedes at the time, owning 40% of it's shares and on the road to acquire the rest. During 2008 they decided to sell McLaren shares starting 2009 in small amounts until 2012.

So yes, McLaren from 1998 upto 2008 was Mercedes (And before that it was kinda a project of Philip Morris).

[RonDennis]

Here, Melbourne Qualy starts at 3:00am. I asked my wife to wake me up and soon I was trying to understand how Sainz got out in Q1. In my wildest dreams I expect a 1.23.0 by our car at this track. When Lando did that 22.7 to get through Q1 I I start to cry, stronger than me. That sequence of laps always improving under pressure was sublime. Great way to start the season.

IN NORRIS WE TRUST

Tough times when McLaren fans start crying because of getting through Q1. I don’t understand the enthusiasm. We got beaten today by a team that started in F1 just a few years ago and that has only a portion of our budget. We are 1.8 seconds adrift from pole. No chance of fighting any of the top 3 teams. This is McLaren’s 7th successive bad start to the season. No reason for clapping.

Norris has been the only shining light today..

Yeah, just let's forget where McLaren came from. Just act like they've won several titles in the last few years and managed to get into Q3 at every race. Every three dollars that McLaren spends, Ferrari, Red Bull and Mercedes spend 5. So stop acting like they have any chance to compete with the top 3 in the current situation. You could also look at the Renault team. McLaren simply did a good job considering where they came from. If you can't see that, you don't understand F1 or are simply sour.

[zoroastar]

Here, Melbourne Qualy starts at 3:00am. I asked my wife to wake me up and soon I was trying to understand how Sainz got out in Q1. In my wildest dreams I expect a 1.23.0 by our car at this track. When Lando did that 22.7 to get through Q1 I I start to cry, stronger than me. That sequence of laps always improving under pressure was sublime. Great way to start the season.

IN NORRIS WE TRUST

Tough times when McLaren fans start crying because of getting through Q1. I don’t understand the enthusiasm. We got beaten today by a team that started in F1 just a few years ago and that has only a portion of our budget. We are 1.8 seconds adrift from pole. No chance of fighting any of the top 3 teams. This is McLaren’s 7th successive bad start to the season. No reason for clapping.

Norris has been the only shining light today..

do you think haas would be ahead of the midfield without help from ferrari? theres only so much that they have control of, and what they do, they seem to be taking care of so far. its a long season, and teams that are using last years best car as a design platform have a real advantage from the start. what did you actually expect?

[the EDGE]

So 'Hats Off' to McLaren... Today they proved they did understand the problem with the Mcl33 and they have got a team capable of being in the midfield mix

still, 0.5 to Hass(ari )
1 sec to Red Bull
1.1 sec to Ferrari &
1.8 sec's off of Lewis, so an awful long way to go yet

And so many questions... We have absolutely no idea how competitive teams will be in race trim,I'm not sure how much the unique characteristics of Melbourne masked their performance today or has it flattered them and will the likes of Renault,RP & Alfa hold an advarntage in Bahrain & China? Of course we will only start to see the true picture emerge over the coming weeks

How much do people feel the gap to the front is down to engine power and how much is down to McLaren's Chassis? Does the law of diminishing returns mean the two entities between them have a chance to claw some performance back this year? or will the front runners be able to out develop them?

I would still put the Pu's in the following order still:-

Mercedes
-0.1 to -0.3 Ferrari,
-0.5 to -0.6 Mclaren (renault PU)
-0.1 to -0.2 Honda

and maybe the chassis like this

Mercedes
-0.1 Redbull
-0.5 to -0.6 Ferrari
-0.5 to -0.6 Mclaren
-0.0 to -0.1 Hass

The above makes many assumptions and is nothing more than a guess, but perhaps someone good with Math could try to calculate a more accurate analysis?

EDIT... PU difference based on quali mode

[Jambier]

I think many people are dreaming about engine difference.

Chassis now makes the difference.
Between best and worst engine I'm sure there is no more than 3 tenth