2019 Mclaren F1 Team - Renault

[Ground Effect]

I read somewhere, I think it was Joe Saward's blog, where he speculated that if things continue to go downhill at Williams, the engine could go to McLaren. He said it's not a very good look for the brand to have their engine propping up the field. I feel he was just giving his opinion for what could logically happen, but you never know.

Would be interesting to see, do mclaren have a Renault contract until 2020?

To the end of 2020 yes. I wouldn't hold my breath. Being Last is not a good enough reason to have PUs taken away. Like to see them explain that to the FIA. Plus Wolf and his wife both have a Connection to Williams.

It's quite straight forward actually. Like most contracts related to F1, I'm pretty sure the PU supply contract would be up to 2020. McLaren and Mercedes are free to negotiate a contract after said year. It's unlikely Mercedes will offer supply to both teams. So if they agree a deal with McLaren, by current rules, Renault is obligated to supply engines to Williams, since they'd be without a customer.
Toto sold off his remaining shares in Williams a couple of years ago. It also appears Mercedes is forging a closer partnership with Racing Point, so the ties with Williams will practically be irrelevant. Williams have a more successful and historic association with Renault, 4 drivers titles and 5 constructors. They should be able to work together again.

[zeph]

Tell me one good reason why they should spend this amount of money on their own engine.

Well, your namesake famously said that you can only win the title as a works team. So if they can't obtain works status with an existing manufacturer, developing their own PU might be the only way to get out of the customer engine quagmire.

Not to mention they already build their own engines for the road cars, so from a PR perspective it makes sense as well.

I think McLaren's situation now is comparable to the early 90's when they lost Honda and they used Ford, Lamborghini and Peugeot engines before finally inking the Mercedes partnership.

I'm not saying the Renault PU will never be competitive, but I'd wager management views this as a stopgap solution, not a permanent one.

[PhillipM]

Ricardo builds the engines for the road cars.

[mwillems]

I dont know why folks see one set of financial results that contain some hope for the future, plant them.like beans and climb the imaginary stalk to find limitless championship wins and home made engines st the top.

[zeph]

Ricardo builds the engines for the road cars.

Fair enough, but they are designed in collaboration and not branded as such.

[604gtir]

Tell me one good reason why they should spend this amount of money on their own engine.

Not to mention they already build their own engines for the road cars, so from a PR perspective it makes sense as well.

With the inevitable move to electrification, why would you start an entire road car engine development program?

[M840TR]

Ivan Roldan:

Well... The #SpanishGP is looming upon us. A place were team have traditionally brought 'big' updates. Will the pecking order change? I don't know, but I've got a good feeling about it.

https://twitter.com/ivanlda/status/1126181555645353984

[zeph]

Tell me one good reason why they should spend this amount of money on their own engine.

Not to mention they already build their own engines for the road cars, so from a PR perspective it makes sense as well.

With the inevitable move to electrification, why would you start an entire road car engine development program?

That's not what I said.

[Big Tea]

Ref engines for the road car, is now not a good time to develop an electric drive for it?
Don't spoil a winning car by swapping out when an out-and-out sport leader could be the next big thing?

It would also be a good lever to get more into FE supply.

[M840TR]

Ref engines for the road car, is now not a good time to develop an electric drive for it?
Don't spoil a winning car by swapping out when an out-and-out sport leader could be the next big thing?

It would also be a good lever to get more into FE supply.

Mclaren Automotive CEO Mike Flewitt has said that by 2026 all cars will by hybrid.

[dp12]

With this engine partnership thing, wouldn't it be better of if McLaren could get a deal with Toyota. Think about it. Toyota have had years of experience with Turbo Hybird Engines (WEC) so it would be easier for McLaren to get a works partnership going with Toyota instead of building their own Engines or going being a customer team with Mercedes Engines

[homercircle]

by Ground Effect » 08 May 2019, 11:33
[/quote]
It's quite straight forward actually. Like most contracts related to F1, I'm pretty sure the PU supply contract would be up to 2020. McLaren and Mercedes are free to negotiate a contract after said year. It's unlikely Mercedes will offer supply to both teams. So if they agree a deal with McLaren, by current rules, Renault is obligated to supply engines to Williams, since they'd be without a customer.
Toto sold off his remaining shares in Williams a couple of years ago. It also appears Mercedes is forging a closer partnership with Racing Point, so the ties with Williams will practically be irrelevant. Williams have a more successful and historic association with Renault, 4 drivers titles and 5 constructors. They should be able to work together again.
[/quote]

It was my understanding McLaren could choose from all the PU suppliers in 2021. If they want Merc to supply the PU's all they have to do is strike an agreement. Totto said last time they would've been happy to supply McLaren if given enough time to increase manufacturing capacity. McLaren couldn't do this with Honda because at the time they were Honda's only customer. Renualt will be supplying their own team, so that is their customer which leaves Mclaren the opportunity to pick who they want.

My guess is McLaren goes with a Merc in 2021 if Renault continue to lag behind. McLaren probably already knows the final possibly date required to give Mercedes an answer for 2021 PU's.

[dtro]

McLaren needs to dig themselves out of the hole they were in before they start thinking about building a structure on top of said whole, that is, building there own PU.

[diffuser]

Ricardo builds the engines for the road cars.

BMW build some as well.

[taperoo2k]

Makes no business sense.
Automotive has great financial results even tho F1 Team was mediocre last 4-5 years.
Why bother to dumb on the wind north of 1mlrd cash?
Selling F1 team makes more sense actually.

It's in line with the group's historic direction of exclusivity. If they have more money from sponsors and need to spend less under the budget caps, better win as Mclaren than Mclaren Renault. That's given they do have a big chunk of money by the time and Renault partnership turns sour which is a gambled prediction at the moment.

Yeah, because they already won so much races as McLaren-McLaren. Tell me one good reason why they should spend this amount of money on their own engine. There is no guarantee that it will bring improved performance and do you actually think McLaren wants to run around at the back because of their engine failing? Look at all the sponsors that left, look at all the comments, they're finally on their way up again after 4 or 5 years. Their own engine makes no sense at all. If McLaren wants to go to the top they should try to increase their budget. I think people are complaining a bit too much about the Renault, seems fine to be. Can it be better? Sure. Is it stopping McLaren from winning? Hell no.

The scale of the challenge of building an F1 Power Unit, even with simplified regulations and components, the level of investment would still be quite significant and would in no way ensure success. It makes more sense for McLaren to be looking at luring one of the big manufacturers outside of F1 into the sport when the regulations change.
McLaren can win with a Renault PU, as long as they keep making steady improvements to it's chassis and aero designs etc, which is not what a lot of people want to hear I guess.

McLaren's focus when it comes to the road cars is building an all electric supercar alongside the hybrids -
https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/indu ... c-supercar
https://uk.motor1.com/news/263873/mclar ... -suv-2025/

So McLaren building it's own F1 power unit makes no sense when the car industry is moving towards an all EV future with hybrids as a stop gap measure while it waits for battery technology to improve. In the end I expect F1 will ditch the internal combustion engine entirely down the road (i can hear the boos already). Which is when you might see McLaren using it's own power trains in the sport. Until then it's Renault PU's or another manufacturers PU's.