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[Mikess]

I think they have a good chance as Jenson has done well in Melbourne before

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6J_LE3O0iEA" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

This guy seems to have a pretty good view on McClaren's chances

[What's Burning?]

Bud, cookin can you guys keep the personal battles contained to PMs? I just deleted about a half dozen posts that were completely unnecessary for everyone else to have to trudge through. This close to the GP weekend it's not worth the risk of missing all the fun.

[CookinFlat6]

Thats a big blow thats been coming for a while. Still a massive blow especially when they dont have a replacement confirmed of equal stature.

They still got Tooned though, maybe the team will become Tooned McLaren Mercedes or just McLaren Mercedes, or just McLaren at the end of 2013. just McLaren would actually be pretty cool but very very costly

Well as the article says, there's a good chance Telmex could be stepping in, what with Perez as their driver.

Telmex are a Brand known only in Mexico, it wouldnt make sense to spend that much (title sponsor) for Telmex. Now maybe the global telecoms businesses owned by Telmex, but that would mean rotating the name for different GPs and that wont work for the title changing from Mclaren X to McLaren Y from race to race.
The title sponsor has to be a global brand that transcends borders to make financial sense. But I agree that its most likely from the direction of Carlos Slim that McLaren will be looking for some type of deal.
Expect to see 2 Mexican drivers in the team next year if this is the case

[What's Burning?]

Telmex is actually involved in telecom throughout South America. They also like the exposure in the US because of tourist roaming which is why the Austin GP was a big deal for them. Brazil is a big market for them as well. Telecoms in general are a funny sponsor. Vodaphone isn't global either, but they do have a presence in most of the European GP countries, (Australia as well?) and in the USA, with their Verizon partnership.

[CookinFlat6]

Fair enough, but to spend that money on Telmex beyond south America doesnt make financial sense. They do not need to make the Telmex brand popular in Europe or Asia because their businesses their are just not branded Telmex.

Carlos Slim will not have built his empire on the back of romantic notions but sound bushiness principles and I have no doubt promoting Telmex on the Sauber or McLaren is worth it for the exposure like you say in the Americas, but as the title Sponsor? Guys watching the GP in Singapore will have nothing Telmex available to them to buy and the Singaporean company owned by Telmex would get no real benefit because its got its own separate brand. Which is how Carlos expanded his empire

Maybe he is an ego maniac and will call the team Carlos McLaren but I cant see that either

[What's Burning?]

The guy is a racing fan. He's a big sponsor of Grand Am here, (and that's got nothing to do with Mexico) but they're merging with ALMS for 2014, maybe he felt that moving his sponsorship out of there and into F1 is where he's like to go.

The thing is that even though China, Korea, India are big emerging markets with new GP circuits, they're not 'effective' F1 fans, they don't go to the races and they don't necessarily buy the F1 sponsors brands the way Europe, North American, and South America does.

South Americans are, have been, and will be F1 fans. So that coupled with the fact that Carlos IS a racing fan could tip thing. Perhaps he's much more legit than Richard Branson was with his attempt.

[PartsaS]

People tend to write off McLaren just because some bad winter testing, History has prove them wrong in the past. ( I hope this will also be the case this year). even the practice times won't tell us anything about the true pace of the cars. I think its normal for drivers to have complains about the car during testing. They are trying parts that some work and some just don't. Mp4 - 28 can't be a downgrade to Mp4-27. Furthermore last years mistakes (strategies, pit stops, upgrades etc) could only make them better this season.
But lets wait and see...

[bud]

Bud, cookin can you guys keep the personal battles contained to PMs? I just deleted about a half dozen posts that were completely unnecessary for everyone else to have to trudge through. This close to the GP weekend it's not worth the risk of missing all the fun.

apologies.

Telmex is actually involved in telecom throughout South America. They also like the exposure in the US because of tourist roaming which is why the Austin GP was a big deal for them. Brazil is a big market for them as well. Telecoms in general are a funny sponsor. Vodaphone isn't global either, but they do have a presence in most of the European GP countries, (Australia as well?) and in the USA, with their Verizon partnership.

Yes Vodafone is here in Australia, they too dropped their title sponsorship from the Triple 8 Racing in the V8Supercars, who replaced them with Redbull.

Central and South America are large markets. A bit ignorant to suggest that is irrelevant because its not including Europe... But what difference does it make where a certain brands market presence is? The whole point of sponsorship is exposure into new markets. regardless we are merely guess it is Telmex, one thing is certain whether they are going to be title sponsor or just a sponsor is irrelevant. Now Vodafone is gone there is no clash for them to have their logo on the McLaren car.

[CookinFlat6]

Vodaphone were paying Mclaren 75 million a year to be title sponsor. Not many other companies can spend that much on flying their name around the world to 20 different regions.

The only way mclaren will replace that income is with another title sponsor. They recently announced Tag having bigger space on the car - I doubt Tag are paying any more, its more McLaren now need big names on the big areas because it seems to be more and more names that are probably not paying as much as they should for those big spaces, like Tooned (a Mclaren firm) and Tag (links with shareholder Mansoour)

Its tiring arguing against a growing and obvious trend at McLaren. Anyone with knowledge of balance sheets can see the trend here. From 2014 McLaren will lose 75 mill + have to start paying 20 mill for engines. So a commitment of 95 mill has to come in before next year just for the team to stand still.

That can come from new sponsors (big competition for the few who have trickled back in, Merc got Energy from coke). 95 mill is a massive ask and there is no guarantee Santander wont also leave as they have been expected to ever since Alonso left (apparently they stayed on for Lewis)

It can also ofcourse come from Pay drivers which is effectively what anyone insisting Carlos Slim will give funds to McLaren, are saying

I know the facts are alarming, but to stick heads in the sand and insist 'theres nothing up at Mclaren is lame' Lewis jumped off a sinking ship, there is no doubt about that

[andrew]

Thats a big blow thats been coming for a while. Still a massive blow especially when they dont have a replacement confirmed of equal stature.

They still got Tooned though, maybe the team will become Tooned McLaren Mercedes or just McLaren Mercedes, or just McLaren at the end of 2013. just McLaren would actually be pretty cool but very very costly

Well as the article says, there's a good chance Telmex could be stepping in, what with Perez as their driver.

Now that's interesting......

[bud]

You know their balance sheets obviously? They have a title sponsor already, they are in talks with Honda about being a works supplier. They are making road cars, they are supplying Formula E with electric engines, they supply Nascar and F1 with their ECU's McLaren is not a sinking ship. Though i for one am tired of hearing your continual nonsense.
You have no facts to back your claims just your personal grudge and obvious distaste to McLaren.
If all you care about is Lewis and he jumped off a sinking ship then good great run along. YOU seem to be the one who is caring way too much about McLaren... You have said constantly over and over and over again how much of a s*** hole McLaren is in so why go on about it? You said your piece more than enough so run along go worship Lewis at Brackley F1 Jensons old team.

[CookinFlat6]

Their title sponsor is no more come the end of 2013, they haven't announced a replacment.

If they get Honda on board as works/engine supplier they get free engines in return for Honda get the name, why would Honda pay another 75 mill to be title sponsors?

Honda Mclaren Honda?

The team are involved in lots of things great, so were Williams

[bud]

If you can read correctly they said they have a new title sponsor for the 2014 season which they will announce in December 2013...

[CookinFlat6]

they would say that though wouldnt they? Now they have a whole year to find one

anyway forgive me for withdrawing from this conversation, as I believe I have had my say - a response to the latest news posted by Hammer.

[Ichabod]

Boring