FORUMula1.com

[sagi58]

Wait a minute...

Ron Dennis told Christian Horner to 'suck it up'

...[Ron] Dennis vetoed a possible Honda customer deal with Red Bull because he wants the Japanese manufacture to remain focused on McLaren next season...

Did I read that right??

Ron Dennis told Christian Horner to 'suck it up'

...[Ron] Dennis vetoed...

Yup!! I did!! V.E.T.O. ... to forbid... and, Ron Dennis did the forbidding...
NOT Ferrari...

How many teams have the "power to forbid"?
Obviously, it's not just Ferrari... Interesting...

[sagi58]

McLaren is building up anticipation for the launch of its crucial new MP4-31 by teasing the sound of the Honda-powered machine

In the wake of its worst F1 campaign in more than 30 years, McLaren will attempt to bounce back with its overhauled MP4-31, which will be revealed on Sunday 21st February, a day before it turns a wheel in pre-season F1 testing.

In readiness, McLaren has followed Ferrari's lead by teasing the sound of the car firing up in readiness - listen below...

[LewEngBridewell]

The 2016 Macca

[darwin dali]

Dark horse?

[sagi58]

Formula 1: A closer look at the drivers' cars for the 2016 season

Formula 1 constructors have revealed the designs of their new cars for the 2016 campaign.

But what should we be looking out for ahead of pre-season testing? BBC Sport highlights a selection of key features...

...McLaren-Honda



McLaren did not reveal what expectations they had in terms of performance after the nightmare start they had last year.

Expert view from McLaren driver Fernando Alonso: "The whole car is beautiful - it's particularly nicely packaged from an aerodynamic point of view and I'm 100% ready for the challenge ahead."



...

[sagi58]

The biggest issue facing each F1 team in 2016

McLaren-Honda

The only way is up

It was painful to watch the McLaren MP4-30 drive in a straight line in 2015. Both drivers put on a brave face through the team's worst season since 1980, optimistic about what 2016 would bring. Honda knows where it went wrong last year, failing to deliver on the Energy Recovery System (ERS) and encountering performance problems from the slim packaging of its power unit in McLaren's 'size-zero' concept. There were glimmers of strength through corners in the final races of the season but this was often lost in the fact the McLaren was a sitting duck in a straight line. Honda has responded with significant changes to its engine for 2016, including a bigger turbocharger. Mercedes is not taking the threat of Honda lightly this year and it seems both the manufacturer and McLaren learned valuable lessons through their struggles in 2015. Hanging over everything is the fact the team has two former world champions, Jenson Button and Fernando Alonso, waiting for the team to deliver a competitive car. Alonso is considered by some to be the most complete driver of the current era and he will surely not tolerate another season so far off the pace. Rumours of a sabbatical were immediately quashed last year but you can bet the first question to Alonso after sampling the MP4-31 in Barcelona will be whether he plans to see out the 2016 season with McLaren. A tongue-in-cheek question, maybe, but a fair one given the fact time is running out on his bid for a third world championship.

[darwin dali]

ESPNF1:

"It is difficult to say but technically speaking our designs are -- I can't say the number -- but almost based on the same as the Ferrari level of engine," Hasegawa told F1i. "Although we are not achieving that at the moment.

"So if we didn't have the tokens and we were just adding more parts we could achieve that level I think. But currently to achieve this level we need more than 40 or 50 tokens. So that's why we have to wait and have to choose which upgrade will be very effective to close the gap."

Unlike Honda, Mercedes, Ferrari and Renault have all spent at least one token since the beginning of the season, with the latter set to introduce another upgrade in Monaco or Canada after successful tests in Barcelona this week.

Explaining his point further, Hasegawa said: "As a variation point of view I have a lot of [upgrade] options, but it isn't very big so I don't want to choose that kind of option. At the moment I am hesitating from introducing that kind of option by using tokens. That's the reason."

Asked if the upgrades which are ready would already have been introduced if there was no token system in place, Hasegawa replied: "Definitely, yes."


what?
Doing something in my book is better than nothing...

[sagi58]

... what?
Doing something in my book is better than nothing...

I have to agree!! Is he saving them in the hope that he'll blow everyone out of the water at the last race??

[overboost]

Button retires, Vandoorne takes his seat for 2017

Formula 1Verified account
‏@F1
Vandoorne & Alonso will race for @McLarenF1 in 2017, with Button taking on a new role >> http://f1.com/McLaren-2017" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[sagi58]

So... he's going to be a "back-up" driver?

[myownalias]

I think it's kinda insulting to demote a 17 year veteran to reserve driver with a fancy title, I think I would have preferred JB to become a TV pundit, he has the gift of the gab.

[darwin dali]

I think it's kinda insulting to demote a 17 year veteran to reserve driver with a fancy title, I think I would have preferred JB to become a TV pundit, he has the gift of the gab.

I'm sure McLaren would like to retain his input for development of the 2017 car, so that's a good use of his skills. Also, if Vandoorne moves up to the driver position, they'll still need an (experienced) reserve driver. They could have hired PW, but that would mean less experience in an actual race car for the future McLaren driver.
Besides, he can use his gabbing skills enough in his new role as the ambassador for McLaren.

[overboost]

http://www.grandprix247.com/2016/12/01/ ... rtnership/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

EXXONMOBIL DITCHES MCLAREN FOR NEW RED BULL PARTNERSHIP


'Long time McLaren fuel partners Exxon Mobil have ditched the under performing British team and shifted their backing to Red Bull, a move that ends a two decade partnership between the Woking outfit and the fuel giant.

Red Bull announced in a press release: “As a team partner, official fuel partner, official lubricant partner, and official motor oil partner of the team in 2017, ExxonMobil will provide Red Bull Racing with leading-edge Mobil 1 lubricants and Synergy Race Fuels. ExxonMobil will deliver engineering support to develop next-generation lubricants designed to improve race car engine and gearbox performance.”

“The company’s Mobil 1 and Esso brands will feature on our cars, driver overalls and helmets, as well as being displayed at the Red Bull Racing Factory in Milton Keynes, and at trackside events.”

Commenting on the new partnership Red Bull team boss Christian Horner said, “Mobil 1 and Red Bull Racing are two global brands that share a passion for racing, performance and innovation. Mobil 1 has been an iconic brand in Formula One for more than 30 years and our new partnership provides us with a unique opportunity to tap into ExxonMobil’s world class expertise.”

The deal signals then end of Red Bull’s association with French oil company Total, which Horner acknowledged,”I would like to extend my thanks and appreciation to the technical team at Total, who have made a valuable contribution to our success in Formula One during our partnership.”

Matt Bergeron, vice-president of marketing for ExxonMobil Fuels, Lubricants & Specialties Marketing Company, said: “Red Bull Racing provides a dynamic platform to showcase our world-class lubricant and fuels technologies. We are excited about building a relationship with Red Bull’s excellent young drivers who are establishing reputations as competitive racers and who will help showcase our brands to generations of consumers.”

Mobil has had an impressive 38-year involvement in Formula 1 racing, having “lubricated more than 100 Grand Prix-winning cars, and has won six Formula One world drivers’ championships and five Formula One world constructors’ championships since entering the sport in 1978.”

With McLaren the partnership of 21 years delivered, 78 grand prix victories, 231 podiums, 76 poles and four F1 world championships.

Reports in various media indicate that McLaren have concluded a deal with BP/Castrol to replace Mobil as a fuel partner.'

[myownalias]

Will we see a Mercedes engine in the McLaren by the start of 2018? Boulier said that McLaren would be winning if they had a Mercedes engine during the last round of testing and now McLaren have [informally] approached Mercedes about supplying engines in the future.... after 3 years, it looks unlikely that Honda can provide a competitive power unit in the modern age of F1.

McLaren have made an exploratory approach to Mercedes about engine supply in the wake of problems with partner Honda.

The move follows a dismal pre-season test programme for McLaren-Honda, in which the Japanese company's new engine was both unreliable and uncompetitive.

McLaren are said to be evaluating options in the event the relationship with Honda cannot be made to work.

McLaren and Mercedes were unavailable for comment.

McLaren racing director Eric Boullier said during last week's final pre-season test that there was "no plan at all" to end the Honda relationship.

Any switch to an alternative engine supplier would require McLaren to find a way out of its multi-year contract with Honda, which was signed in 2013.

McLaren's contact with Mercedes was characterised by sources as informal and brief and has not led to any resolution on either side.

But the Mercedes board and motorsport boss Toto Wolff are said to be open-minded about the possibility of supplying their former partner.

Linking up with Mercedes - or Renault, which is another option - would be a momentous decision for McLaren with huge potential consequences because the Honda engine deal is worth close to a net $100m annually to the team compared to a customer engine deal.

As well as supplying free engines rather than paying the 17m euros (£14.8m) annual fee for a customer of Mercedes, Honda also pays half of McLaren's driver-salary bill and a significant sponsorship contribution.

If the Honda partnership was ended, McLaren's main shareholders - Bahrain's Mumtalakat sovereign investment fund and Saudi businessman Mansour Ojjeh - would almost certainly have to plug the gap themselves until a major sponsorship deal could be found, something with which McLaren have struggled in recent years.

Mumtalakat owns 50%, Ojjeh's TAG Group 25% and together they form the executive committee that runs McLaren. The remaining 25% is owned by former chief executive officer Ron Dennis, whose contract was not renewed in January and who no longer has any active role in the company.

McLaren and Mercedes were factory partners for 15 years until the end of 2009, when Mercedes set up their own team, partly because of the souring of the relationship over a number of issues. McLaren continued to use the German company's engines for the next five years as a customer.

The Mercedes engine has been the best in F1 since the introduction of turbo hybrid power-plants in 2014, when McLaren could finish only fourth in the championship, scoring only two podium finishes and no wins.

When McLaren signed with Honda, Dennis gave as the main reason for leaving Mercedes that it was not possible to win in F1 unless a team was an official factory partner of a major engine manufacturer. It is an argument that continues to be made frequently by senior McLaren figures to justify the decision.

But it appears McLaren are having doubts that Honda will ever produce a competitive engine and have decided that switching to a customer deal should at least be considered and the possibility explored.

McLaren were the slowest team in pre-season testing, which concluded last Friday, and their fastest lap time was 2.7 seconds slower than pace-setters Ferrari.

Boullier said in an interview with Spain's AS newspaper conducted during testing last week that he believed McLaren could win with a Mercedes engine.

The Frenchman added that McLaren risked losing their star driver, two-time world champion Fernando Alonso, if they could not become competitive this year.

The Spaniard joined McLaren for the start of the Honda deal in 2015, believing it would give him a better chance of winning the title than his previous team Ferrari. Alonso, whose contract with McLaren expires at the end of this season, has not won a race since May 2013.

Boullier said: "He wants to be competitive because he has talent to show the world and to himself. And we need to be competitive to keep him happy.

"If we're competitive he'll be happy and if not he'll take his own decisions."

Source: http://www.bbc.com/sport/formula1/39290908" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[darwin dali]

Should we be surprised? I think not.