2019 Mclaren F1 Team - Renault

[mwillems]

I think that when we have a top 3 chassis/aero, we will in a good position to negotiate with engine companies, be able to offer them something unique with the Mclaren brand. But right now, having a Mercedes engine/Ferrari/ A N Other Brand is not going to lift us above 4th, or even close. I don't know why we would waste our breath with the idea, it may happen, it may not, but it won't change anything. That destiny is in Mclaren's hands and if they can build a car capable of pushing at the front, then yes, it becomes a different matter, a different proposition. But right now it isn't on the table. Next year we will see. The Renault engine has been OK this year, I think we just have some people who are yet to get over Sundays last minute let down.

[M840TR]

I think that when we have a top 3 chassis/aero, we will in a good position to negotiate with engine companies, be able to offer them something unique with the Mclaren brand. But right now, having a Mercedes engine/Ferrari/ A N Other Brand is not going to lift us above 4th, or even close. I don't know why we would waste our breath with the idea, it may happen, it may not, but it won't change anything. That destiny is in Mclaren's hands and if they can build a car capable of pushing at the front, then yes, it becomes a different matter, a different proposition. But right now it isn't on the table. Next year we will see. The Renault engine has been OK this year, I think we just have some people who are yet to get over Sundays last minute let down.

Relatively speaking, it's been the worst. Of the 4 engine manufacturers they've had the highest number of reliability related issues; and the HP figures don't justify it as well. The debate on the current crisis can often get concentrated on the technical deficits, but they're no more than a facade for actual underlying concerns: the Renault F1 senior management has consistently outshone others in their incompetence by repeatedly failing to hit growth targets despite their potential, and even still not shying away from making outlandishly pompous claims to the press. With such ostensible lack of self-awareness in their own shortcomings then, there's no surprise people are losing confidence in the team.

[Benii6]

I think that when we have a top 3 chassis/aero, we will in a good position to negotiate with engine companies, be able to offer them something unique with the Mclaren brand. But right now, having a Mercedes engine/Ferrari/ A N Other Brand is not going to lift us above 4th, or even close. I don't know why we would waste our breath with the idea, it may happen, it may not, but it won't change anything. That destiny is in Mclaren's hands and if they can build a car capable of pushing at the front, then yes, it becomes a different matter, a different proposition. But right now it isn't on the table. Next year we will see. The Renault engine has been OK this year, I think we just have some people who are yet to get over Sundays last minute let down.

Couldn't agree more. The engine is there with Mercedes in terms of power. Even the reliability, before this weekend, was fine for Mclaren cars. I'm rather disappointed with Mclaren and their inability to get reliably in Q3. Considering the budgets and half a year of development.

[Big Tea]

Renault is one of the very few manufacturers who do not (seem to) mind if a customer car is a better prospect than their own. This is part of why Ron Dennis said they needed a manufacturer partner. Think back to when they were a Merc customer. Is it a good idea to chase a Merc engine?

[Jolle]

Renault is one of the very few manufacturers who do not (seem to) mind if a customer car is a better prospect than their own. This is part of why Ron Dennis said they needed a manufacturer partner. Think back to when they were a Merc customer. Is it a good idea to chase a Merc engine?

When they were a mercedes customer, '13 and '14, they kept building not working new cars instead of improving on the last one. Not a fair comparison. As for Renault, the last two times a customer team were beating them on track, they pulled their own team out of the sport. McLaren is where you expect a customer team with a the biggest budget of the bunch should be, at the front of the midfield. It's Renault who is underperforming badly. They should be (and were expecting to be) knocking on the rears of the RedBull's by now.

[diffuser]

I think that when we have a top 3 chassis/aero, we will in a good position to negotiate with engine companies, be able to offer them something unique with the Mclaren brand. But right now, having a Mercedes engine/Ferrari/ A N Other Brand is not going to lift us above 4th, or even close. I don't know why we would waste our breath with the idea, it may happen, it may not, but it won't change anything. That destiny is in Mclaren's hands and if they can build a car capable of pushing at the front, then yes, it becomes a different matter, a different proposition. But right now it isn't on the table. Next year we will see. The Renault engine has been OK this year, I think we just have some people who are yet to get over Sundays last minute let down.

Relatively speaking, it's been the worst. Of the 4 engine manufacturers they've had the highest number of reliability related issues; and the HP figures don't justify it as well. The debate on the current crisis can often get concentrated on the technical deficits, but they're no more than a facade for actual underlying concerns: the Renault F1 senior management has consistently outshone others in their incompetence by repeatedly failing to hit growth targets despite their potential, and even still not shying away from making outlandishly pompous claims to the press. With such ostensible lack of self-awareness in their own shortcomings then, there's no surprise people are losing confidence in the team.

The question is are there alternatives for McLaren when there wasn't for RBR? Wolf saying that they would have supplied McLaren after the deal was done is a BS way of saying yeah yeah yeah. I think you can wish upon a star but you'll still end up being Pinocchio! That's why I gonna avoid that road altogether. No amount of screaming "off with their heads!" Is gonna change that.

[McG]

I think that when we have a top 3 chassis/aero, we will in a good position to negotiate with engine companies, be able to offer them something unique with the Mclaren brand. But right now, having a Mercedes engine/Ferrari/ A N Other Brand is not going to lift us above 4th, or even close. I don't know why we would waste our breath with the idea, it may happen, it may not, but it won't change anything. That destiny is in Mclaren's hands and if they can build a car capable of pushing at the front, then yes, it becomes a different matter, a different proposition. But right now it isn't on the table. Next year we will see. The Renault engine has been OK this year, I think we just have some people who are yet to get over Sundays last minute let down.

Relatively speaking, it's been the worst. Of the 4 engine manufacturers they've had the highest number of reliability related issues; and the HP figures don't justify it as well. The debate on the current crisis can often get concentrated on the technical deficits, but they're no more than a facade for actual underlying concerns: the Renault F1 senior management has consistently outshone others in their incompetence by repeatedly failing to hit growth targets despite their potential, and even still not shying away from making outlandishly pompous claims to the press. With such ostensible lack of self-awareness in their own shortcomings then, there's no surprise people are losing confidence in the team.

Only in reliability. It does have good performance. Don't get these mixed up with things that have happened in the past e.g bad performance and terrible reliability.

[Jackles-UK]

Yes, Mercedes have probably spent billions of dollars on their F1 program since their return in 2010 but if you weigh up how much it would have cost for 3-4 hours of TV advertising, every other weekend to reach hundreds of millions of people in almost every country on earth it’s probably a net gain.

100% agree with one of the previous posts about reliability. Yes, the Renault guys do need to pull their finger out and fix the issues they have but McLaren also need to get their house in order to remedy the persistent gearbox and hydraulic issues that have plagued them for years. No change of PU suppliers is going to rectify those issues.

[_cerber1]

McLaren studies the possibility of using Mercedes engines from 2021

https://www.thebestf1.es/mclaren-estudi ... rtir-2021/

[Andres125sx]

It's the cheapest advertising they have ever done. They won't quit.

Cheapest? Do you have an idea about how many hundreds if not thousands millions they´ve invested in their F1 program since they started developing the PU several years before 2014?

Yeah, let's compare Renault with the most dominant engine since 2014. Those are incidents, while it's something with Renault every race.

Since 2014... up to past season. This season the whole paddock agree Ferrari owns the best PU, to the point Mercedes, while trying to match it, have pushed their own PU too far with the consequences seen in Spa. Not the best moment to ask for a switch to Mercedes sincerely

I suggest you look into the numbers, because you clearly don't know much about it. It's actually a bargain.

What numbers? Do you, or anyone outside Mercedes group know how much they´ve invested?

[Capharol]

It's just the same old song with Renault

[aran.vtec]

I think that when we have a top 3 chassis/aero, we will in a good position to negotiate with engine companies, be able to offer them something unique with the Mclaren brand. But right now, having a Mercedes engine/Ferrari/ A N Other Brand is not going to lift us above 4th, or even close. I don't know why we would waste our breath with the idea, it may happen, it may not, but it won't change anything. That destiny is in Mclaren's hands and if they can build a car capable of pushing at the front, then yes, it becomes a different matter, a different proposition. But right now it isn't on the table. Next year we will see. The Renault engine has been OK this year, I think we just have some people who are yet to get over Sundays last minute let down.

agree with you here seeing that the merc engine has a different layout, cooling properties etc its almost guaranteed that they will take a step back switching power units , Redbull has showed any power unit can win a race on merit.

[Ground Effect]

If I was a betting man, I'd sooner wager on Mercedes sorting out their recent reliability woes than Renault sorting out their long term issues. Let's remember Carlos did say that he expected more from the Spec C and that their upgrades have been a little disappointing. Renault need to really up their game, even though I admit their performance gains over the winter were impressive, they managed to bridge the gap to a large extent. But it's the final push I'm concerned about. I wouldn't be surprised if the gap opened up again in 2020. We hardly hear anything about new fuels and lubricants, etc. They just don't seem to be going all out. But it doesn't stop Cyril from bragging. He said Ferrari was their target with the spec C, yet Carlos says no noticeable difference. The reliability problems are unacceptable, yes Mercedes have had a couple, but they're still way behind Renault on that, especially since none have happened in the race.

[Ground Effect]

McLaren studies the possibility of using Mercedes engines from 2021

https://www.thebestf1.es/mclaren-estudi ... rtir-2021/

I think they're just doing a 1+1=2 story, based on the way the weekend panned out. It's a logical thought, but I'm not sure how much there is in this story. It seems to me they are capitalizing and making a story out of all this.
If they do change, I'd like to see some other related developments that would help make this as seamless as possible, like hiring one or two relatively senior Mercedes technical staff who can be of benefit regarding integration.

[McL-H]

Best would be to get a Mercedes works deal, but I don’t see them stopping their F1 team anytime soon.

Not that I´m asking for this, but I see it the other way around, Mercedes will probably pull the plug from F1 quite soon. They´ve win all titles in past 6 seasons, so not much more to get from F1, and they´re entering FE next season so...

You could be right about that too. But I do think their domination is still creating a lot of positive exposure to them. If I were to be a board member, I’d say continue until we are not winning anymore. We’ll see. If they were to quit, we should definitely pursue a works deal.