General: McLaren thread

McLaren Racing Limited (F1), McLaren Automotive, McLaren Applied Technologies, McLaren Electronic Systems. McLaren Group.

Not intended as a competitor to the rolling race car/driver specific threads, but instead a place to discuss among other things the way in which the various developments by the subsidiaries of the McLaren group are feeding or have fed either directly or in-directly back into the groups principle focus, the F1 program which is being run by McLaren racing limited.

Anything that you feel may be out of place or beyond the scope of the race car, race driver specific threads is welcome here. This is a context which should therefore provide fertile ground for the discussion of 'anything' McLaren through the literal consideration of the McLaren groups stated raison d'être, the F1 program which is being run by McLaren racing limited and served by the group as a whole.

In simple terms then, this could be considered the General: McLaren thread. Or the place for anything not allowed in the rightly specific car MP4-?/drivers threads.

McLaren in general, be that corporate affairs (accounts for the previous financial year), corporate expansion/contracts/sponsors, the ongoing development of automotive, specifically the MP4-12C, the history of automotive, the development of the new McLaren V8. The development of McLaren racing limited and past/present and future iterations of the MP4 F1 car, the history of McLaren racing limited, which should be considered distinct from a pure form of nostalgia and considered in the way in which certain historically significant developments, developmental working methods and race strategies (for example the McLaren pre-refueling era strategies) relate directly to the challenges faced by the contemporary McLaren.

How the work of the key McLaren group subsidiaries McLaren Electronic Systems, McLaren Applied Technologies and McLaren Automotive benefit the racing team proper. (you can include the work of the catering arm 'absolute taste' if you must, I am sure developments here though are representative of a McLaren philosophy as opposed for example to being of any direct use to the aero department)

So from within this context feel free to openly discuss all the developments at the McLaren Group, since such developments can not be anything other than related to the groups stated reason for being, the F1 program run by McLaren racing limited and the construction of the contemporary and future iterations of the MP4 F1 car.

Please feel free therefore to discuss within this context the current development issues associated with the MP4-12C and the development of its V8 within the context of the providing of a potential platform for a McLaren works F1 engine for future iterations of the MP4 F1 car.

This may or may not provide an opportunity to overcome the fragmented nature of the discussion of all things McLaren racing. It's an experiment. A haven for the increasingly diverse world of the McLaren F1 team. It probably won't have the relevance of the car/driver specific threads at the moment and rightfully so, but off season it could just provide a haven where it is necessary sometimes to go off topic when following a group as diverse as McLaren, whose sole reason for being is racing. And if so, you are covered here.

Looking forward also to seeing some great contemporary photo's and footage of anything McLaren old and new particularly due to the related and relevant discussions such images tend to inspire.

McLaren and other Brit F1 teams working on tech for British MOD military contracts. McLaren have a history of employing ex-aerospace engineers. I wonder if these relationships will be a two way thing and result in a development as seminal as McLarens first use of the carbon fibre monocoque.

http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-News/M...s=searchresults

If Andy is popping in I have one non-f1 car related question, as McLaren always wants to be at the forefront on Tech when are we getting a official iPhone app for McLaren news and data?

lola do some work for the MOD, think on there UAV stuff

McLaren worked with BAE systems as well from 1996 to 2007. The partnership originally focused on McLaren's F1 car's aerodynamics, carbon fibre techniques, wireless systems and fuel management. There is probably a link still between Whitmarsh and BAE.

Maybe because they're working on actual technology, not glorified RSS feeds.

I think the thread starter should buy some shares of McLaren and have access to the data room.

Getting very close to a few million pounds worth of McLaren tech. Some snaps I took on the 40th anniversary. I wonder what the chances are of one of these great liveries (not Yardley) making a return to the F1 car post 2015. Or even any of the proposed racing variations of the MP4-12C.

Thanks Werks,

nice pics.

Yeah, awesome pics!!

I'd have loved to see that, where was it?

This is on here in the North Island this weekend:

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/motorsport/32...o-Bruce-McLaren

Wish I could see that too.

Andy seems to have gone the way of ACFA

I'd imagine he's just too busy now. Have to hope someone else steps up...

I think Jenson is launching the new iphone today as it happens

Orange!

I'd love it if McLaren went back to their roots and adopted an orange livery. It's better than the silver.

This was at Goodwood in 08 (1968-2008). That tribute in New Zealand looks great. I wonder if they will have a contemporary car there as well. I would like to see that darker blue and orange 'Gulf' livery mocked up on one of the newer F1 cars. I know Gulf is currenlty associated with Aston Martin, but it would certainly be a practical way of including the orange that we all know and love.

I don't know about you guys, the picture of the image I am getting about Mclaren is - Mclaren is a very high tech company (all put together) and F1 is the key expression of that.
Ferrari, Renault etc are easily defined; the are automotive companies.

These augurs well for them to be independent financially and to some extent technically but will this sell their road cars more or less - I am not too sure...

McLaren certainly seemed to have expanded their portfolio and the number of their subsidiaries in recent years. It all reads like some grand master plan, although I could be reading too much into it. They could end up representing one of the purest forms of motorsport if they continue in this direction, where at the moment the more profitable McLaren racing limited (F1) remains a subsidiary of a McLaren group itself. There is something elegant about that.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/gordonfarquhar/...es_cutting.html

If it's forefront you want perhaps Android would be a more appropriate app.

I signed up for mclaren membership yesterday. I sometimes wish as a company they'd lighten up a bit. They can seem a bit serious for their own good sometimes...

"Sensors-R-Us".

eh? if anything they are one of the most lighthearted lately, they have being putting out jokey videos after jokey videos, they have run competitions on their website, they have the 5th driver and unveiling a piece of their car one bit after another, what more could they do?

A touch of Blackadder served up with a slice of Monty Python. A classic. Delivered during a tense championship winning season.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZJeex4YnQ0

That was a cracker

Development programme for the MP4-12C now complete?

http://translate.google.co.uk/translate?hl...d___.html%3Fwww

Mclaren signs on14 year youth

Anthony Hamilton will be the boy's manager throughout his racing career. The young man will certainly benefit from the experience AH had acquired whilst developing LH.

Anthony

Has to be finding some other things to do now, this looks like a good start.

Oh poor Nyck de Vries! If he ever makes it into F1 and McLaren, the hate mob are going to label him lucky and having an easy ride into F1

Good news for De Vries and Mclaren, but it seems as if Anthony Hamilton is having more say in team affairs than a driver manager strictly ought to... Mclaren don't need a Puig, let alone a Briatore.

Anthony is no Puig or Flav. McLaren know him well and there are plenty of reasons for them to think a lot of him. He is ruthless but he has integrity, he works hard, has good judgement, drive - he's a very able guy. I wouldn't mind seeing him run a team eventually.

I don't know him, obviously. But I've heard... erm, mixed reports about him. Each as unsourced as the other. No point having an argument about it, but I wouldn't rule out some factionalism appearing within Mclaren, as opposed to everyone vs. Alonso, as things were for much of 2007... If Ron wants to be as big as Ferrari, I guess he'll have to accept the internal politics that go with it.

Well he is a fighter for sure, and not too worried about making an enemy or two. Fine garagiste material in fact

Ha, that I don't doubt. Who knows, he could even be the next Bernie Ecclestone.

McLaren signed a 14 year old Dutch kid. A good move. I wonder if and when the other teams will jump on this and start locking these kids up early. Use them for themselves, trade or sell them off.

This might be slightly off topic, but I admire Ron Dennis' vision so much so that it can be inspiring to budding entrepreneurs. Maybe he should write a book.

I always liked the fact that he started in the business as a lowly apprentice mechanic, there is something old school and 'getting your hands dirty' about that.

Absolutely - even if he has had a peculiar manner and seemed aloof and obsessive he can feel proud of his achievements based on self belief and energy. I do wish he had not attracted so much blinkered hatred. Inevitable perhaps.

On the livery - it is nice to dream of a reincarnation of McLaren orange, maybe brighter? - but corporate sponsorship will surely scupper that.

I agree, I would LOVE to read it.

I really look up to that man. Regardless of what the detractors may have to say about him.

MW does share Bernie's view that not all the new teams will be on the grid this year.
When addressing the issue of reserve drivers, he said:

As I wrote on the MP4/25 thread: given that Campos appears to be in trouble, I wonder if Whitmarsh is aiming at Bruno Senna as (second) testdriver. His drive seemed secure, but now there are doubts if the team will even make it.

Exactly what I was thinking...

I can see an angle on the corporate sponsorship issue. Strangely enough though it is one that is extremely unlikely to manifest itself in the near future since it involves the balance of power reversing dramatically between sponsors Vodafone and Aigo. If the colour is to be sponsor relative then I would take the Aigo orange from the McLaren race overalls and apply it liberally. Alongside a nice McLaren badged V8 of course. The lengths I would go to, to graft a little orange on to a McLaren.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rieK13iTi0...feature=related

McLaren festival Jan 2010 (light relief from the testing)

Check out this bad boy

http://www.topgear.com/uk/car-news/mclaren-gtr-2010-02-03

That looks pretty fricken sick

He did a lot more than just a Gulf-liveried version:

http://www.autoblog.com/gallery/rendered-m...en-mp4-12c-gtr/

I think my personal favourite is the Harrod's car, but the Lark livery is also great. It would be really nice to see a racing version of the car, but I guess we'll all just have to wait and see.

I can not believe it!!!!!! He forgot the orange OZ wheels though. One of my first posts on here layed out my hopes that this particular livery would be mocked up on to a race variation of the MP4-12C road car. Unbelievable. Great find Owen



Check out the Marlboro http://www.topgear.com/uk/photos/mclaren-m...c-gtr?imageNo=2

I'd wet myself if I saw this thing on track





As for the Campos/Senna thing. I think Senna is quite overrated, and I hope we don't sign him as a reserve/test driver/development driver. I may change my mind about this later, but I haven't seen anything from him that indicates he will be a top formula one driver. I have seen him throw hissy fits though, which is kinda... ehhhh...

You are right about Senna, but I hope you are wrong....

http://www.business24-7.ae/Articles/2010/2...88ba525a54.aspx

Interview conducted with Ian Gorsuch Regional Director for MEA, McLaren Automotive. By Sunil Kumar Singh on Thursday, February 04, 2010