[ 2020 ] Mclaren F1 Team - Renault

[Ground Effect]

Maybe McLaren was the team that caused all of this. Some German outlets reported that McLaren had an option on Sainz to add another year.

I don’t think there was an option, from what I read it was a firm 2 year deal. Also, traditionally in F1, those options expire end of September before current deal runs out, then driver is free to sign with another team for the coming year. Besides, reading Benson’s piece, he’s calling it a coup for McLaren to sign Ricciardo. He’s the driver they originally wanted, they didn’t change their mind and sign Carlos, he rejected them in favour of Renault. I’m very pleased with what Carlos did last year, and have mixed feelings, but Ricciardo is a quality signing any day of the week.

[Zoom_83]

Personally I am against customer cars that copy main teams. F1 is not a charity. Either you have the money to compete making something yourself and reach the top or do not compete at all. It bothers me that they removed a lot of the tests between races and before the season starts, the refueling during a race, the many tyre manufacturers and the other engine manufacturers. It also bothers me that they removed so many iconic races.

I always looked at Formula 1 as being the pinnacle of advanced technology.
With teams like RP copying over from a bigger team like Merc, the innovation factor in F1 decreased a lot.

Well let's say it as it is, the FIA has done it fair share of contradiction...by banning clever tech like J-damper, F-duct, Double diffuser to name a few. Should those technologies be around it would have been a different F1.

Today, F1 is dominated by 4 manufacturers...and it's so expensive that it is very difficult for engine manufacturers to break into F1. ....and it's definitely not a charity.

[Jolle]

Personally I am against customer cars that copy main teams. F1 is not a charity. Either you have the money to compete making something yourself and reach the top or do not compete at all. It bothers me that they removed a lot of the tests between races and before the season starts, the refueling during a race, the many tyre manufacturers and the other engine manufacturers. It also bothers me that they removed so many iconic races.

I always looked at Formula 1 as being the pinnacle of advanced technology.
With teams like RP copying over from a bigger team like Merc, the innovation factor in F1 decreased a lot.

Well let's say it as it is, the FIA has done it fair share of contradiction...by banning clever tech like J-damper, F-duct, Double diffuser to name a few. Should those technologies be around it would have been a different F1.

Today, F1 is dominated by 4 manufacturers...and it's so expensive that it is very difficult for engine manufacturers to break into F1. ....and it's definitely not a charity.

Has it ever been different?

Remember the mighty Toyota coming in? Or when Ford put millions into the Stewart team... Renault in the early eighties, etc etc. F1 has always been one or two teams far ahead of the rest and teams copying or even buying chassises from other manufacturers like McLaren (the M23 was used by different teams), Matra, etc etc. It's even how Frank Williams came into F1, selling Brabham cars to other F1 teams. The Ligier from the mid nineties is just a rebadged Benneton for instance, etc etc etc.

[mwillems]

I'll be delighted if we get Ricciardo. For me he's a step up from Sainz. I didn't think Sainz was a number 1 driver in personality or in skill, but a very good driver none the less.

Ric will hopefully bring a lot of enthusiasm, talent, huge amounts of consistent top level performances and I hope, a lot of sponsorship revenue. Perhaps with him and Lando in the team we can become an more fun/edgier team more suited to sponsors who target the key younger demographics. Something Mclaren have been trying to do for a while anyway. Ric is the perfect fit, in and out of the car I think.

[mwillems]

Personally I am against customer cars that copy main teams. F1 is not a charity. Either you have the money to compete making something yourself and reach the top or do not compete at all. It bothers me that they removed a lot of the tests between races and before the season starts, the refueling during a race, the many tyre manufacturers and the other engine manufacturers. It also bothers me that they removed so many iconic races.

I always looked at Formula 1 as being the pinnacle of advanced technology.
With teams like RP copying over from a bigger team like Merc, the innovation factor in F1 decreased a lot.

Well let's say it as it is, the FIA has done it fair share of contradiction...by banning clever tech like J-damper, F-duct, Double diffuser to name a few. Should those technologies be around it would have been a different F1.

Today, F1 is dominated by 4 manufacturers...and it's so expensive that it is very difficult for engine manufacturers to break into F1. ....and it's definitely not a charity.

They took those technologies away in part to make the driver a more important component. Don't you think it would be more boring if they still had them?

Formula 1 will always be an arms race and it's crazy that the spending in formula 1 got so out of hand that a budget of £100 - £150 million is considered small. I'd like to think that with the upcoming reg changes, the focus will become more about innovation and not throwing thousands of people and half a billion at a car to make it fast.

I love the idea that if you get the right engineers, driver and designers in now, any team could perform at the top. The upcoming Adrian Neweys of the world will become more prominent as they make magic out of fair and equal budget.

[Macklaren]

I'll be delighted if we get Ricciardo. For me he's a step up from Sainz. I didn't think Sainz was a number 1 driver in personality or in skill, but a very good driver none the less.

Ric will hopefully bring a lot of enthusiasm, talent, huge amounts of consistent top level performances and I hope, a lot of sponsorship revenue. Perhaps with him and Lando in the team we can become an more fun/edgier team more suited to sponsors who target the key younger demographics. Something Mclaren have been trying to do for a while anyway. Ric is the perfect fit, in and out of the car I think.

I agree with you but I'm slightly concerned that McLaren's best results in 2019 came from consistently driving to a high delta and Carlos was fantastic at that. Danny is more of a true racer but not sure how good his delta-driving and tire management is

[Jackles-UK]

Sainz is a top class driver in a midfield car but whether or not he is talented enough to make it as a very elite driver at a top team like Ferrari is obviously up for discussion. I happen to think he is (maybe not on the level of Hamilton or Verstappen yet but absolutely in the Bottas/Albon bracket) and Ferrari clearly agree to give him the drive over, let’s be honest, 80% of the rest of the grid who they could have easily attracted plus a few from outside the circus.

Ricciardo, however, I would put in the elite bracket above Sainz and is absolutely the right driver to bring on board if they are serious about becoming winners again. A proven, multiple race winner (often with a car nowhere near the level of his rivals) who made both Vettel and Hulkenberg look average in his first year as their teammate. He would also be a great baseline for Norris to compete against to become the best driver he can be.

It’s another case of McLaren removing any excuses for less than great which I approve of; if the car is good enough, Ricciardo can win. Simple as that.

[Ground Effect]

I think the signing of Ricciardo shows intent on McLaren’s part, but are they there yet to bring on board someone with such high current ambitions? He’s definitely not a signing for the future.

[Mclarensenna]

I'll be delighted if we get Ricciardo. For me he's a step up from Sainz. I didn't think Sainz was a number 1 driver in personality or in skill, but a very good driver none the less.

Ric will hopefully bring a lot of enthusiasm, talent, huge amounts of consistent top level performances and I hope, a lot of sponsorship revenue. Perhaps with him and Lando in the team we can become an more fun/edgier team more suited to sponsors who target the key younger demographics. Something Mclaren have been trying to do for a while anyway. Ric is the perfect fit, in and out of the car I think.

I agree with you but I'm slightly concerned that McLaren's best results in 2019 came from consistently driving to a high delta and Carlos was fantastic at that. Danny is more of a true racer but not sure how good his delta-driving and tire management is

Actually Ric's high delta driving as you call it is 1 of the best i have ever seen in F1. Sainz is no match for him. In 2014 Ric won 3 races by overtaking Vettel on track then driving 1-2 seconds a lap quicker to win with Vettel so much slower down in 3rd 5th and 7th. Rics deltas all year long where on another level to vettels. In qualifying it was close 10-9 but in races Rics delta times were on another planet. Spa 2014 was a good example he was being chased down by Rosberg in a car over 2 seconds a lap quicker and maintained a delta over 1 second quicker than Vettel with a faded brake pedal. The team told him what delta to drive at to win and he maintained those times. When Ric sniffs a win he elevates to a whole new level. All his 7 wins he won with not the fastest car but racecraft, great decisive very aggresive overtaking and high delta driving and some luck sure. Vettel all of 2014 could never match that.

Even in 2016 at Monaco Ric qualified just 1 tenth quicker than the mercs with Max crashing. So i dont believe Redbull was quicker than Merc Ric just nailed the perfect lap. Then in the race Ric pitted with that famous pit stop and gave him the red slower tyre and delay. Ham was on the fastest purple tyre and yet Ric was all over him like glue driving much quicker than Max (higher delta) putting so much pressure on Ham lap after lap he had to ram him into the wall on the right to stop him overtaking. Ham could not pull away from Ric even with a much faster tyre. Compare when Vettel was behind Ric in 2018 with Ric losing the MGU-H and 4 seconds a lap Vettel not once even came close to overtaking Ric.
yet people claim vettel is a high delta driver, so then ye what would you say about Ric then.

Sainz is definately no slouch though. But Ric is a much better and faster driver than Sainz in every area Overtaking, racecraft, high delta driving, late breaking, etc.

[rayden]

If we get Ricciardo, that is huge. People seem to imply he lost some shine at renault last year, but it's the opposite for me. Hulk was established in that team and had beaten every team mate during the previous seasons (including sainz) and Ricciardo came in as a new comer and beat him quite easily in a car he was clearly struggling to adapt with. He pretty much ended Hulk's career.

I think most can see Max is a once in a generation type of driver, and Ricciardo was giving him fits, there was some mega battles between those two.

Ricciardo is absolutely top tier. he has 27 podiums and 7 wins in the turbo era, while driving a car that has never been within half a second of the front (outside of monaco in 2016/2018). Those are Montoya numbers & Montoya was driving cars much closer to the front.


Well done Andreas and Zac.

[Mclarensenna]

If we get Ricciardo, that is huge. People seem to imply he lost some shine at renault last year, but it's the opposite for me. Hulk was established in that team and had beaten every team mate during the previous seasons (including sainz) and Ricciardo came in as a new comer and beat him quite easily in a car he was clearly struggling to adapt with. He pretty much ended Hulk's career.

I think most can see Max is a once in a generation type of driver, and Ricciardo was giving him fits, there was some mega battles between those two.

Ricciardo is absolutely top tier. he has 27 podiums and 7 wins in the turbo era, while driving a car that has never been within half a second of the front (outside of monaco in 2016/2018). Those are Montoya numbers & Montoya was driving cars much closer to the front.


Well done Andreas and Zac.

well explained. People do not realise Hulk beat Sainz and scored 69 points in 2018 and only 37 points losing to Ric in 2019. Ric is clearly the better driver. On top the Renault car took a step back in relation to the field and nearly got beat by even Torro Rosso. Renault fired their car designer it was such a failure. There's not much Ric or any driver can do with a car like this. The difference is in a top, fast, well balanced car you are driving the car. In an unbalanced car on a knife edge like the Renault you are fighting it so you will always look very bad.

Look at Kimi and Alonso in the same car at Ferrari, Alonso ate him for breakfast. Yet the next 4 years Kimi racked up well over 20 podiums and 1 win to Alonso's zero podiums. If you just started watching F1 in 2015 you would think Kimi is a monster and Alonso a backmarker which i actually had new F1 fans argue this to me. So the car you driving has to be taken into account as its by far the biggest denominator in F1. Sainz had a better year in 2019 sure but there is no way he is a better driver than Ric.

[mwillems]

If we get Ricciardo, that is huge. People seem to imply he lost some shine at renault last year, but it's the opposite for me. Hulk was established in that team and had beaten every team mate during the previous seasons (including sainz) and Ricciardo came in as a new comer and beat him quite easily in a car he was clearly struggling to adapt with. He pretty much ended Hulk's career.

I think most can see Max is a once in a generation type of driver, and Ricciardo was giving him fits, there was some mega battles between those two.

Ricciardo is absolutely top tier. he has 27 podiums and 7 wins in the turbo era, while driving a car that has never been within half a second of the front (outside of monaco in 2016/2018). Those are Montoya numbers & Montoya was driving cars much closer to the front.


Well done Andreas and Zac.

well explained. People do not realise Hulk beat Sainz and scored 69 points in 2018 and only 37 points losing to Ric in 2019. Ric is clearly the better driver. On top the Renault car took a step back in relation to the field and nearly got beat by even Torro Rosso. Renault fired their car designer it was such a failure. There's not much Ric or any driver can do with a car like this. The difference is in a top, fast, well balanced car you are driving the car. In an unbalanced car on a knife edge like the Renault you are fighting it so you will always look very bad.

Look at Kimi and Alonso in the same car at Ferrari, Alonso ate him for breakfast. Yet the next 4 years Kimi racked up well over 20 podiums and 1 win to Alonso's zero podiums. If you just started watching F1 in 2015 you would think Kimi is a monster and Alonso a backmarker which i actually had new F1 fans argue this to me. So the car you driving has to be taken into account as its by far the biggest denominator in F1. Sainz had a better year in 2019 sure but there is no way he is a better driver than Ric.

Yes. Ferrari want a smooth passage to Leclerc into greatness, Sainz is that best option. A fast team player. Leclerc will be expect to prove his dominance and once he does, he will take the number one spot.

[Mansell89]

If I’m Carlos Sainz Jr I’m having a really hard time leaving McLaren. He has won great praise here, has build an excellent relationship with the team, and his feedback has helped to continue driving the car development.

This is a team that seems like it is on the up and certainly has some promising people and equipment in the crucial areas- Key, Seidl and a Mercedes engine deal.

Would you throw away being the leader of that project to be number 2 to Charles LeClerc?

It’s a mighty task to dislodge him as the darling of Ferrari.

My dream team for McLaren has been Sainz and Ricciardo with Norris spending a couple of years developing ‘on loan’ at Williams maybe.

If Sainz does leave however, I truly hope we sign Ricciardo who would be a super fit for the team and for Lando.

[mwillems]

Carlos will believe that he can beat Leclerc he will also (correctly) believe that he can win races at Ferrari.

He's got the chance to go and make his own name big at Ferrari, so yes, I'd throw away my Mclaren seat to a frontrunning team that could be contention for a title sooner rather than later.

[rayden]

Yes, formula 1 drivers tend to have ridiculous amounts of self belief, and I'm sure in his mind he thinks he is going to go in there and blast leclerc into the weeds, leaving Ferrari no option but to make him no1.