- 11 Oct 10, 14:41#219840
Title only possible with 100% reliability - McLaren
After two major gearbox problems on Lewis Hamilton's car at the Japanese Grand Prix, McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh has instructed his team to focus on reliability at the final three races of the season.
Hamilton had to change his gearbox during the Suzuka weekend and in doing so took a mandatory five-place grid penalty. In the race he lost third gear on his new 'box but managed to finish by shifting between fourth and seventh gear.
Hamilton's fifth place finish dropped him 28 points - more than the value of a race win - off championship leader Mark Webber, with just 75 points still up for grabs. However, Whitmarsh still believes the championship is within his drivers' grasp as long as his car has no more glitches.
"For the final three races, we've got to make sure we have 100% reliability," Whitmarsh said. "Lewis finished this race 28 points behind the leader in the drivers' championship, with Jenson [Button] trailing by 31. With 75 points to play for in the drivers' championship, and 129 in the constructors', our title challenge is still very much alive. We'll keep on pushing and developing this car. There's no reason why we can't be fighting for the championship in Abu Dhabi."
He said the car had been competitive but was out of position due to Hamilton's problems and Button's strategy.
"The biggest positive we can take away from today's result is that both drivers clearly demonstrated significant pace against that of our rivals - and that's a motivating force that we'll take with us into the final three races of the championship."
However, Button is not as confident in the car and believes it will take a major performance upgrade at the Korean Grand Prix to keep him in contention, after McLaren's new rear wing and F-duct package flopped in Japan.
"If we don't turn up in Korea with some big improvements it will be almost impossible," he said. "I would like to think we don't have to hope Red Bull crash or have reliability issues and we have a car to challenge them. But when they have the pace they had here, they can cruise it."
"But we can't complain about luck. Look at Red Bull - Vettel has thrown away 75 points or something this year. He should be miles in front.
Hamilton was also downbeat about his chances compared to the Red Bull drivers.
"Podiums won't do it," he said. "Wins will get it if the others have problems. But if Red Bull finish all the races then it's a walkover.
"I have had bad weekends but nothing like this. This is the worst of all of them. I've had an ear infection all week, which affected my balance a bit and left me deaf in my left ear. I am just happy to have finished a race."
_____________________________________________________
Any other McLaren fans are a little frustrated with this teams' inability to cope well in a title race? This problem has been there since the 90's, in straight head to head fights for Championships, McLaren always end up being the less reliable/consistent car out there.
Remember the late 90s? 98', the year the McLaren was far superior compared to Ferrari and wrapped up the WDC in the last race wasn't it? This was due to the car being strong from Race 1. 99' was against Eddie irvine who isn't a brilliant driver, and McLaren nearly gifted it there too!! Thankfully Ferrari declined the gift with only 3 tyres ready for Irvine in that fateful pitstop.
Fast forward 2005. Fantastic car from race 4 in Imola with Kimi Raikkonen, and he was absolutely mega that year in terms of performance. Full tilt, going for it race by race only to be let down time and time again by engine issues, hydraulics, what not. Gifts the WDC to Alonso and Renault.
Let's not talk about 2006. 2007? A double WDC and the best rookie in history side by side. This is the ONLY exception I can think of when in a tight race for the WDC and their 'car' never let them down, but the guys at the pitwall who decided to see if Lewis could keep up with a blown tyre in China...in the wet. And okay, they still have the chance in Brazil, but hey! Unreliability strikes again to rob Lewis of precious 20 seconds or more which loses him the WDC to Kimi and Ferrari.
2008? Another very very close one with Massa, and McLaren fill the car up to the very brim and they seem to try their best again to lose a WDC but Lewis holds on in the wet and manages to pass a Toyota on a gamble, at the very last corner on the very last lap!!
Let's not talk about 2009...
2010!? 3 teams in it, a great barometer between the 2 giants of F1 and new kids on the block, Redbull. And again, McLaren are the ones faltering with issues and stupid strategy calls when things are getting tense closer to the season. They were brainy at the start and middle of the season, but when things get tight, the crumbling begin!
It seems that if McLaren start off a season slow, they have almost no possibility to win a WDC that year. Catching up isn't what they do best.
If anyone got bored with my grandmother storytelling, I sincerely apologise. This was meant for the McLaren fans who cared, and who might feel the same way? Or am I the only one who is wondering about the ability of this team to fight in close WDCs?
After two major gearbox problems on Lewis Hamilton's car at the Japanese Grand Prix, McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh has instructed his team to focus on reliability at the final three races of the season.
Hamilton had to change his gearbox during the Suzuka weekend and in doing so took a mandatory five-place grid penalty. In the race he lost third gear on his new 'box but managed to finish by shifting between fourth and seventh gear.
Hamilton's fifth place finish dropped him 28 points - more than the value of a race win - off championship leader Mark Webber, with just 75 points still up for grabs. However, Whitmarsh still believes the championship is within his drivers' grasp as long as his car has no more glitches.
"For the final three races, we've got to make sure we have 100% reliability," Whitmarsh said. "Lewis finished this race 28 points behind the leader in the drivers' championship, with Jenson [Button] trailing by 31. With 75 points to play for in the drivers' championship, and 129 in the constructors', our title challenge is still very much alive. We'll keep on pushing and developing this car. There's no reason why we can't be fighting for the championship in Abu Dhabi."
He said the car had been competitive but was out of position due to Hamilton's problems and Button's strategy.
"The biggest positive we can take away from today's result is that both drivers clearly demonstrated significant pace against that of our rivals - and that's a motivating force that we'll take with us into the final three races of the championship."
However, Button is not as confident in the car and believes it will take a major performance upgrade at the Korean Grand Prix to keep him in contention, after McLaren's new rear wing and F-duct package flopped in Japan.
"If we don't turn up in Korea with some big improvements it will be almost impossible," he said. "I would like to think we don't have to hope Red Bull crash or have reliability issues and we have a car to challenge them. But when they have the pace they had here, they can cruise it."
"But we can't complain about luck. Look at Red Bull - Vettel has thrown away 75 points or something this year. He should be miles in front.
Hamilton was also downbeat about his chances compared to the Red Bull drivers.
"Podiums won't do it," he said. "Wins will get it if the others have problems. But if Red Bull finish all the races then it's a walkover.
"I have had bad weekends but nothing like this. This is the worst of all of them. I've had an ear infection all week, which affected my balance a bit and left me deaf in my left ear. I am just happy to have finished a race."
_____________________________________________________
Any other McLaren fans are a little frustrated with this teams' inability to cope well in a title race? This problem has been there since the 90's, in straight head to head fights for Championships, McLaren always end up being the less reliable/consistent car out there.
Remember the late 90s? 98', the year the McLaren was far superior compared to Ferrari and wrapped up the WDC in the last race wasn't it? This was due to the car being strong from Race 1. 99' was against Eddie irvine who isn't a brilliant driver, and McLaren nearly gifted it there too!! Thankfully Ferrari declined the gift with only 3 tyres ready for Irvine in that fateful pitstop.
Fast forward 2005. Fantastic car from race 4 in Imola with Kimi Raikkonen, and he was absolutely mega that year in terms of performance. Full tilt, going for it race by race only to be let down time and time again by engine issues, hydraulics, what not. Gifts the WDC to Alonso and Renault.
Let's not talk about 2006. 2007? A double WDC and the best rookie in history side by side. This is the ONLY exception I can think of when in a tight race for the WDC and their 'car' never let them down, but the guys at the pitwall who decided to see if Lewis could keep up with a blown tyre in China...in the wet. And okay, they still have the chance in Brazil, but hey! Unreliability strikes again to rob Lewis of precious 20 seconds or more which loses him the WDC to Kimi and Ferrari.
2008? Another very very close one with Massa, and McLaren fill the car up to the very brim and they seem to try their best again to lose a WDC but Lewis holds on in the wet and manages to pass a Toyota on a gamble, at the very last corner on the very last lap!!
Let's not talk about 2009...
2010!? 3 teams in it, a great barometer between the 2 giants of F1 and new kids on the block, Redbull. And again, McLaren are the ones faltering with issues and stupid strategy calls when things are getting tense closer to the season. They were brainy at the start and middle of the season, but when things get tight, the crumbling begin!
It seems that if McLaren start off a season slow, they have almost no possibility to win a WDC that year. Catching up isn't what they do best.
If anyone got bored with my grandmother storytelling, I sincerely apologise. This was meant for the McLaren fans who cared, and who might feel the same way? Or am I the only one who is wondering about the ability of this team to fight in close WDCs?
Breaking News:Lewis Hamilton has officially overtaken The Fonz in race wins. With 88 races less. Lol(Without a specially built blown diffuser, illegal front wing, preferential treatment)
