FORUMula1.com

[CookinFlat6]

yeah right on bro!

[bud]

whats the kettle proverb?

[CookinFlat6]

Dont you know anything? get Andrew to look it up for you on Wiki

[bud]

Play nice, I was asking you a question.

[CookinFlat6]

Let me ask you a question

Right now mcLaren are facing a shortfall approaching 100 mill for next year. Loss of Vodaphone income + Paying for engines + finishing lower than they have done for a long time at a time the Concorde funds are dished out even more strictly according to WDC position.

Barring irrational assumptions like 'there is a big sponsor lined up by December', 'Honda will appear for next year', 'Button will drag the team up to the front by December' and taking into consideration the fact that this year is unlike any other the team have had to make good a bad car, as well as the need to shift resources into the 2014 car as they do not have 2 seperate development teams - my serious question is - Ron must have factored in this possibility so what do you think he has planned?

Say we are in August and the shortfall is not yet assured of being covered, and Jenson is doing a BAR on the team

Could Ron be thinking of moving to hybrid Prototypes racing/ maybe revived Can Am which is where he cut his teeth anyway. These series would be more in fitting with the high tech image Mclaren has cultivated and would be better for the road cars division than corrupt, inefficent, technologically restricted F1

What say you?

[andrew]

Vodafone out, Telemex in. Where's the short fall? They still have a title sponsor who will be paying hansomely for that privlege.

Given that it was reported a couple weeks ago that Honda are already working with McLaren I would hardly call that it "irrational assumption" to suggest that Honda will become their engine provider.

Heck, I poor race and you've got them dead and buried. There's another 18 to go so don't lose heart just yet.

[CookinFlat6]

Andrew in the adult world, proper business men do not go out painting the town red because they read a rumour Honda were creeping around the MTC, or they feel in their bones that a big sponsor will sign up for a certain amount.

My question to Bud specifically advocates removing assumptions and going on the basis of nothing transpiring come August

Its hypothetical, you need to project yourself beyond the status quo bias and say what if? then come up with an answer based on what if xyz doesnt happen. If you are unable to do this please do not drag this off topic with frivolity.

cheers mate

[andrew]

Condescend much?

Where's LRW to bring this thread back on track?

[myownalias]

I think it's too early to make any bold claims about McLaren's future; the McLaren name still has a lot of pull; I'm sure they'll get a new title sponsor, TelMex being the likely candidate with Perez onboard. It's also likely that McLaren will be up there in the top three come the end of the season, I simply don't believe that McLaren will simply ditch this season and concentrate on 2014!

[What's Burning?]

Interesting what ifs there.

I think we need to let Perez play out, but what if... he's not able to deliver the goods? What if he's unable to beat Button either on points, race pace or in qualifying? Not saying that is going to happen but if it does, will Mclaren keep him on board simply to get Carlos Slim money?

I've always said that McLaren can develop as well as any team, and they often out develop other teams. This year they've got an opportunity to do that but there are so many variables. A new driver, a new car, a lot of unsettled internal shifts and perhaps a director that may be looking over his shoulder for a replacement. I don't believe they're there yet, but this year, if a lot of those 'ifs' go in the wrong direction, Mclaren struggles to get fourth in the WCC... we're going to see a lot more turmoil before they right the ship.

[CookinFlat6]

I dont think Rons that interested in F1 anymore, winning races yes, but the politics and the titles, he must have plans for what happens if the team finish 5th. This is a crucial point. Rons got grander and more noble projects than F1, hes been there done it.

If he needs F1 to help sell cars, maybe its enough to have a team that lives within its means and wins a race now and then, like Williams, why spend ruinous amounts competing with the works teams bankrolled by giants? If Telmex are the new sponsor they wont pay vodaphone money, no one will anymore, anymore will have to come from Slim paying for Mexican drivers, hes interest should be Mexican motorsport for it to work.

Things will likely improve, but by how much depends on how much money the team get from those sources and if its not enough things could spiral like they did with Williams. And I am sure Ron anticipated all this, so whats his next move?

Maybe its a tactical withdrawal from the front of the grid, stay in business, sell road cars, then later when the time is right start splashing cash to get back to the top

[CookinFlat6]

I think it's too early to make any bold claims about McLaren's future; the McLaren name still has a lot of pull; I'm sure they'll get a new title sponsor, TelMex being the likely candidate with Perez onboard. It's also likely that McLaren will be up there in the top three come the end of the season, I simply don't believe that McLaren will simply ditch this season and concentrate on 2014!

I am not making bold claims, this is an exercise in putting yourself in Rons shoes come August and all these if, maybes, and likelys have not happened. At that stage do they concentrate on 2014? and forget about 2013 grid finishing position, or has Ron got a plan B.

I expect he has, and the car business is his vision now, and that would be better suited to racing hybrid prototypes than F1 which is too expensive and restrictive, no relevance to road cars, not really green

I would let the F1 team carry on as best as it can with what it has and jump in the new regulation prototype series for 2014. Could build a variant of the P1 by then

[LRW]

Condescend much?

Where's LRW to bring this thread back on track?

s*** things have got to be bad if you are missing me Andrew....!

I went to bed, as I could see where the thread was heading again.

[LRW]

.....but dont clog up the thread .....

That's funny. Coming from you.

[bud]

Cooking answering a question with a question is rude... But really the only question that I am sure everyone would really like answered is... Why do you even care so much about McLaren??

Everything you brought up is nothing new for McLaren, they have changed sponsors engine suppliers in the past. They have been around for 50 years and whether you like it or not they aren't going anywhere so why don't you just stick to rooting for your toyboy and shut up!