2016 McLaren F1 Team - Honda

[Vasconia]

Stoffel Vandoorne seems just as fast as Jenson Button, maybe he needs a bit of polishing in racecraft?

Why would it be sensible to replace Button with Vandoorne?

Button and Alonso seem to work very good together, one GP Alonso is clear fastest, the other it is Button.

I am all for bringing new talent in F1, Stoffel Vandoorne has earned to be in F1.
But why replace and disrupt the good working "harmonie" ??

(just a tought)

A 1 year contract with a smaller team would be great for Vandoorne just to gain some experience. But which team? McLaren has not a "second team" like other ones have.

[mclaren111]

As difficult as it is, we need to look at more than just 2017.

2017 will be a good year for Stoffel to learn and settle in and help Alonso.

No Alonso in 2018 means we then have a well prepared Stoffel that can lead the charge.

[Andres125sx]

As difficult as it is, we need to look at more than just 2017.

Probably true, but that´s difficult to me when 2017 will be third season of a 3-4 years proyect, and it will also include a huge rule change.

To me 2017 looks like the perfect season for McHonda to make the final step. They should have focused on new rules sooner than any other team, as they´re the only team on a long term project wich had no ambitions for first and second seasons (2015 and 16), so 2017 looks like the season...

It it wasn´t for the token restriction wich prevented Honda to solve their maturity problems in first season like any manufacturer did on past long term projects. That´s my only doubt about 2017, I´m not sure Honda has the neccessary mileage, as most of their experience is based on 2015 PU wich was only first attempt. That mkI version should have been used in one or two races, and then be replaced by mkII. But instead of using mkII in 2nd-3th gp of 2015 season, it was used in 2016 pre-season thanks to that stupid token restriction, so Honda developing curve has been drastically flattered by PU development restrictions, so not sure if they will be able to be at the desired level in 2017

[godlameroso]

It's one thing to introduce changes to the current power unit, another matter entirely to develop it. Honda probably has at least 2-3 different versions of their power unit running on the dyno at any given moment. When you have no direction you simply pick one, if it doesn't work you backtrack and go in a different direction, that's what 2015 was for Honda. It was like a very immature river, the flow had no direction. Now they have direction, they just need to continue carving their path. I see next year hinging on what they can pull out this year. If there's progress with their next upgrade, then I fully expect them to be in the mix with the top 3 teams.

[diffuser]

As difficult as it is, we need to look at more than just 2017.

2017 will be a good year for Stoffel to learn and settle in and help Alonso.

No Alonso in 2018 means we then have a well prepared Stoffel that can lead the charge.

1 - No Alonso in 2018 is not the way I see McLaren or Alonso leaning right now.

2 - To me there is no rush...Where is he gonna go??

Not Merc, RBR/STR or Ferrari. So we could get him back after a couple of years from any of the remaining teams...with the exception of Renault... They already have MAg.

3- You talk like he's a sure thing. He maybe a Perez and take several years to develop.

4-Williams want Button cause their car sucks in the rain and they're not sure if it's the car or the drivers. If it's the car,they want guidance and Button would give them that. I think Button helps Williams alot while vandorn is a "?".

[SameSame]

I really hope McLaren Honda does really well this weekend. The track is full of medium speed second and third gear corners and top end power is not critical. It would be a big confirmation of their progress if they are best of the rest behind Ferrari, Red Bull and Mercedes. GoranF1 said a new aero package is coming (I think?) and if that's the case and it works well they could be in for a solid result.

[diffuser]

I really hope McLaren Honda does really well this weekend. The track is full of medium speed second and third gear corners and top end power is not critical. It would be a big confirmation of their progress if they are best of the rest behind Ferrari, Red Bull and Mercedes. GoranF1 said a new aero package is coming (I think?) and if that's the case and it works well they could be in for a solid result.

We'll find out if they fixed the monaco issues.

[GoranF1]

I really hope McLaren Honda does really well this weekend. The track is full of medium speed second and third gear corners and top end power is not critical. It would be a big confirmation of their progress if they are best of the rest behind Ferrari, Red Bull and Mercedes. GoranF1 said a new aero package is coming (I think?) and if that's the case and it works well they could be in for a solid result.

Alonso said in post race interview in UK that new aero package is coming for "next race".

[Vasconia]

I really hope McLaren Honda does really well this weekend. The track is full of medium speed second and third gear corners and top end power is not critical. It would be a big confirmation of their progress if they are best of the rest behind Ferrari, Red Bull and Mercedes. GoranF1 said a new aero package is coming (I think?) and if that's the case and it works well they could be in for a solid result.

Alonso said in post race interview in UK that new aero package is coming for "next race".

Hopefully this is true. Because PU updates wont come until Italy or Singapur as Honda has stated.

[SameSame]

We'll find out if they fixed the monaco issues.

It seems since the tyre pressure measurement procedure has changed McLaren have become a bit more competitive. They shouldn't struggle with tyre temperatures in qualifying in Hungary so let's see how good of a chassis it is.

[bauc]

Speaking about Vandoorne joining a smaller team for a year, what happened to those rumors about Honda giving a PU to Sauber?

[basti313]

Speaking about Vandoorne joining a smaller team for a year, what happened to those rumors about Honda giving a PU to Sauber?

Maybe. There are several open questions about Sauber, like:
- Why did they criticize Ferrari, who is keeping them alive with later payments for the engines?
- Who is the secret new "partner"? Why is it not a "sponsor"?
- Why did they completely stop the 2016 car development?

All these three questions can be answered with: They will run a Honda engine next year.
And I never understood, why they are running their engines only in one team. Building up facilities to supply one team more is nothing against all the lost data.

[Sonador]

Speaking about Vandoorne joining a smaller team for a year, what happened to those rumors about Honda giving a PU to Sauber?

Maybe. There are several open questions about Sauber, like:
- Why did they criticize Ferrari, who is keeping them alive with later payments for the engines?
- Who is the secret new "partner"? Why is it not a "sponsor"?
- Why did they completely stop the 2016 car development?

All these three questions can be answered with: They will run a Honda engine next year.
And I never understood, why they are running their engines only in one team. Building up facilities to supply one team more is nothing against all the lost data.

Because the engine is bespoke to Mclaren, Hasegawa stated that there is no point in gathering data on a bespoke to mclaren engine, in another chassis.

As for Saubers new partner, it is rumoured to be the bacers of Ericsson.
2016 car is due for a new wing in Hungary, but before there was simply no money left for development.

As for critisizing Ferrari, i have no idea

[Sonador]

Stoffel Vandoorne seems just as fast as Jenson Button, maybe he needs a bit of polishing in racecraft?

Why would it be sensible to replace Button with Vandoorne?

Button and Alonso seem to work very good together, one GP Alonso is clear fastest, the other it is Button.

I am all for bringing new talent in F1, Stoffel Vandoorne has earned to be in F1.
But why replace and disrupt the good working "harmonie" ??

(just a tought)

A 1 year contract with a smaller team would be great for Vandoorne just to gain some experience. But which team? McLaren has not a "second team" like other ones have.

I think Vandoorne should be a good fit for Williams, so that Mclaren have experience and harmony for the 2017 campaign.
Once they are competetive,then put Vandoorne in place and put a little fire under Alonso

[Vasconia]

I think Vandoorne should be a good fit for Williams, so that Mclaren have experience and harmony for the 2017 campaign.
Once they are competetive,then put Vandoorne in place and put a little fire under Alonso

I dont know if Williams would be intered but it could be interesting. And well, he could bring some info about thee PU hahaha.