123 replies to this topic

[stevelee61]

Having been a fan of Mclaren since the Mika days, I have found recent years difficult to watch. I have come to grow frustrated with the fact that despite their budget they seem unable to have a design concept that can result in a high performing car year after year (eg: Sch & Ferrari / Red Bull). They seem to have an unhealthy obsession of following the 'data' no matter where it takes them in the race and in the design of the car. Following this year's obsessive pursuit of someone who massively shafted them in the past, with total disregard for their current drivers, next year i will be hoping and willing that lightening does strike twice and it all goes wrong for the Mclaren/Alonso love in.

 

Just wondering whether it is just me (a bit biased as a JB fan) or whether anyone else thinks that the way the team has been run (yes Ron I am blaming you!) and performed over the last few years has totally put them off?

Edited by stevelee61, 09 November 2014 - 13:12.

[PAGATRON]

What's Sch?

[TheFish]

I never support teams, only drivers.

[Exb]

If I can't support them during the tough times it doesn't make me much of a McLaren fan. Besides when they finally get it together it will make it an even better achievement!

[stevelee61]

Schumacher.

[DutchQuicksilver]

Supported them mainly when Mika, Kimi and Lewis were driving, not really bothered with them since.

[TomNokoe]

Don't support teams but it'll be nice to see Honda do well off the bat.

[mzvztag]

If Alonso goes there I will certainly support them.
McLaren grew to be my "arch enemy" ever since 1984 but, with Kimi and Vettel, two of my least favourite drivers, I would simply have to make a break in supporting Ferrari until their line up changes again.

[LeClerc]

Williams, McLaren and Sauber, will never lose my support, unless they get taken over by a car manufacturer (the bane of our sport).

[Tombstone]

Having supported McLaren for 40 years I'm not about to stop because of a few of years of sub-optimal trophy acquisition.

Edited by Tombstone, 09 November 2014 - 13:37.

[dumm]

If JB has to leave I will not care about them

[pacificquay]

What a ridiculous poll.

 

I've supported McLaren since the days of Senna.

 

Whoever drives for the team, I wish very good luck to.

 

If a driver is traitorous, like Hamilton going to Mercedes, I wish him nothing but bad luck.

 

If he returned to the team, I would support him wholeheartedly again.

 

Similarly Alonso.

[stevelee61]

Hardly think Lewis was traitorous. Alonso on the other hand!

[HuddersfieldTerrier1986]

What a ridiculous poll.

 

I've supported McLaren since the days of Senna.

 

Whoever drives for the team, I wish very good luck to.

 

If a driver is traitorous, like Hamilton going to Mercedes, I wish him nothing but bad luck.

 

If he returned to the team, I would support him wholeheartedly again.

 

Similarly Alonso.

 

What on earth have you been drinking? I'd honestly absolutely love for you to explain how Lewis was a traitor by going to Mercedes, because quite frankly I think you're spouting, to put it politely, absolute trash.

[Tombstone]

What on earth have you been drinking? I'd honestly absolutely love for you to explain how Lewis was a traitor by going to Mercedes, because quite frankly I think you're spouting, to put it politely, absolute trash.

 

Stop taking things so seriously.

[Button4life]

I never support teams, only drivers.

Dis

[paulogman]

I'm a Williams fan now for 32 years.
no fair weather. even through the Ralf Schumacher years!
so you either support your team in good and bad or you glory hunt

[Flamini]

Well, next year I will start supporting McLaren.

[ardbeg]

Poll is like "do you like a pancake on your forehead or an ice pick in your foot?"

This site need a Create Poll Licence

[Lazy]

Hmmm, tricky.

[onewingedangel]

I don't think I can bring myself to support Alonso, and the way the current drivers have been treated in the pursuit of the man has really left a bad taste in my mouth.

 

I may find myself supporting one side of the McLaren garage, but not the team as a whole for as long as Alonso is there.

Edited by onewingedangel, 09 November 2014 - 14:21.

[pinkypants]

Have supported McLaren since I started watching F1 .. haven't been paying that much attention since Lewis left and wasn't a fan of the management in place. But things are looking up - new management, new driver, new engine - lots to be positive about.

[nosecone]

Yes! It's no decision

 

Just 2 bad years in a row... Fans of glory?

Edited by nosecone, 09 November 2014 - 14:26.

[Button4life]

I'm a Williams fan now for 32 years.
no fair weather. even through the Ralf Schumacher years!
so you either support your team in good and bad or you glory hunt

Well, some people just support drivers

[Kristian]

I've always been a driver supporter rather than a team, so if I like the drivers of a team then I will support that team.

 

As a Button fan, I am appalled at how he's been treated. I've never been a fan of Alonso, and for the second time he's pushing Button out of a drive. That allied to the way McLaren have gone about this whole mess means that I have no desire to see them do well from next year. 

[stevelee61]

Hardly glory supporting when the team hasn't won a WCC for 16 years!

[Dalton007]

Yep, and if Jenson goes I will be supporting Mag to get the better of Alonso. 

[Gilles4Ever]

This thread is not about Hamilton, its about supporting McLaren and the reasons you do or don't. 

[Tombstone]

Well, some people just support drivers

 

See, I've never really understood that. McLaren is McLaren, but all the drivers who drove for them from when I started until 2001 no longer race. Similarly for other teams. When you've been into F1 for many years supporting a team, well a long lasting one anyway, is consistent; supporting drivers will necessarily require one to switch allegiance at some point.

 

So from Emmo in '74 until he retired from F1 in 1980, then who? Just makes no sense to me.

[Owen]

Team fan right here.

[Hyatt]

of course! "McLaren Honda" sounds too good. ... Anything known concerning next years livery? any chance of a Marlboro-like livery or is that protected in some way?

[Tombstone]

I've always been a driver supporter rather than a team, so if I like the drivers of a team then I will support that team.

 

As a Button fan, I am appalled at how he's been treated. I've never been a fan of Alonso, and for the second time he's pushing Button out of a drive. That allied to the way McLaren have gone about this whole mess means that I have no desire to see them do well from next year. 

 

The clue is that it's called 'McLaren', not 'Jenson Button's Team'. Of course McLaren are going to hold out for the better driver, even one with as much baggage as Alonso.

[BadVoice]

After the way they have treated button? No way! And I am not even a button fan 

[DutchQuicksilver]

of course! "McLaren Honda" sounds too good. ... Anything known concerning next years livery? any chance of a Marlboro-like livery or is that protected in some way?

It depends on a title sponsor I think. I heard rumours of Movistar and Santander.

[kosmos]

Yep, and if Jenson goes I will be supporting Mag to get the better of Alonso. 

 

 

Good luck.

[ElDictatore]

I support teams more than drivers, at least in the case of McLaren. So yeah, gonna stay a fan even if it's tough. I still enjoy watching the races but in a different way than before.

 

I started supporting them in around 98' and became a die hard fan in '02. So yeah, I basically saw a lot of bad years and wasted championships and I learned to live with it.

[travbrad]

The clue is that it's called 'McLaren', not 'Jenson Button's Team'. Of course McLaren are going to hold out for the better driver, even one with as much baggage as Alonso.

 

I don't think Mclaren hiring Alonso is the thing most people are taking issue with.  It's that Button could be out of a seat while Magnussen keeps his, despite Button outclassing him most of the season.  If Mclaren truly wants the two best drivers available to them that would be Alonso and Button.

[Rocket73]

I can't say right now...I want to support an english team especially as they currently have my chosen driver and they make some awesome and great looking cars (present nose excepted) but they are such a strange organisation.

So many stupid decisions and a history of treating drivers so badly and I have to come to the conclusion that RD is an outdated dictatorial baffoon who really thinks he's special in some way.

I like KM and admire FA but I can't root for them so if JB leaves I will probably want mclaren to fail out of spite even if that's not a very noble thing to do.

[Mat13]

I'm a Button and a Hamilton fan, so have supported one side of each garage. If Button goes, Mclaren can stuff it frankly.

[Paul084]

No, not after the way they've treated their drivers this season.

[Raziel]

I've been supporting McLaren since 1997 and I´ll support them until I die. Drivers come and go, McLaren remains!

 

I've supported Kimi @ McLaren now he´s "the enemy", I've supported Hamilton @ McLaren now he´s "the enemy", I've supported Alonso back in 2007. but after he left, I "hated" him so much, BUT I will support him again in 2015 and I´m so happy that such a quality driver is coming to "my" team...

[HoldenRT]

Honda gives a hope and has a lot of potential upside, but if that doesn't work out, wouldn't surprise me if a lot of their fans ditch them.  But there is always those loyal few that will stick around (for any team) and McLaren has a long history.  You don't really needs fans tho in F1.  It's not like basketball or football where it has a direct correlation to your earnings and success, there is no home court advantage in F1 or crowd impact.  Fans don't influence the races.  Maybe merchandise sales help the team a bit but other than that it doesn't seem to make much difference.  Results are the biggest thing that help you due to the way they are payed etc.  Rich getting richer, poor getting poorer etc.  And if they started winning, the fans would return.  A lot of fans in F1 just float around to wherever their driver goes, so that always brings in fans for any team.

[ForzaGTR]

I will continue to support them. They were the first team I became fond of, I'm a Brit and many of my favorite drivers have raced for them. I will always hold an emotional attachment to them. With all that being sad, they have been very frustrating of late.

[Bartonz20let]

Stoped really caring sometime in '12

I'm a driver (Lewis) fan but not fallen for Merc tbh, quite like Williams though.

[MinT]

If they drop Button - then no, they don't deserve support.

[hollowstar]

Supported them mainly when Mika, Kimi and Lewis were driving, not really bothered with them since.

 

Same here. I didn't even know they still had fans 

[KingTiger]

They've been shambles for a long time. 

[Ricardo F1]

Of course I will ; 14 has been a bridge year toward the new design next year.  Alonso being back gives them a driver who can challenge every week and is guaranteed to pick up points.  Hopefully KM will improve on this years showing.  If the Honda power unit delivers I expect them to challenge Merc.

[Ricardo F1]

If they drop Button - then no, they don't deserve support.

Button has to take a massive pay cut ; seems like he doesn't want to (and I don't necessarily blame him).  That's business unfortunately, I'd love to have Alonso/Button but can easily see why its financially not viable.

[charly0418]

Why do people root for teams, they're all scum, I dont get it