771 replies to this topic

[SparkPlug86]

Silly questions:

 

If McLaren decide to run it back and make a more serious effort to race the Indy 500 in 2020;

- should they field two cars instead of one? Yes

- would Button would be a good choice for one of their cars? No, he has no interest in Indy and is focused on his own racing team

- would it make sense to have either Sainz or Norris in the other car? No, they need to focus on F1

- do we assume Alonso will have another go? Yes, probably the sole reason they are doing it again

- could they also try to race the Indy GP? I'd like to see it because it s Indy, it's McLaren, it's publicity in the US and a "soft opening" for the real thing in terms of getting the team to work as a more well oiled machine. Probably a good idea to dial operations etc

 

Be nice.

 

Edit - Maybe not for Alonso... https://www.gpfans.c...aren-part-ways/

Edited by SparkPlug86, 05 July 2019 - 14:46.

[Henri Greuter]

Including Sergio Perez?
 
Especially Sergio Perez!

What about Kovallainen and/or Stoffel?

[DeKnyff]

“Parting on amicable terms” is a first for Fred...

Funny to hear that about one of the extremely rare drivers in the sport who, in modern times, has been rehired twice by major teams that he had previously left. But, hey, obviously never let the truth get in the way of a good story.

[jonpollak]

Jp

[Rodaknee]

According to one site "....Alonso is still classed as a brand ambassador..." and "...it's understood that no joint projects are currently planned..."

 

https://www.motorspo...ndy-500-debacle

[FLB]

What the.... is going on, here? 

[jonpollak]

I know right?
Schitt show as usual.
Jp

[loki]

What the.... is going on, here? 

He's a "brand ambassador" they aren't going to use him to test the F1 cars or for an Indycar effort.  They said they were supportive of him getting other rides.  That info comes direct from McLaren PR.  Notice Brown said they "had a strong contractural relationship".  He didn't say what that relationship was.

[Loosenut]

I think this has been put out there as a distraction to news that The Beatles have split up..

[PedroDiCasttro]

Well, if it happens it could mean that he's found a drive at F1 after the summer break. Couldn't it?

[Sestre]

Jp

Very sad.

[jonpollak]

In the words of Mario Andretti (and taken completely out of context). “This too is racing”.

Jp

[Nathan]

Where can I buy shares in the Autosport 2020 Dakar thread?

[string158]

Well, if it happens it could mean that he's found a drive at F1 after the summer break. Couldn't it?

 

 

could be a Redbull seat available.... 

[Henri Greuter]

could be a Redbull seat available.... 

 

 

Karma Fernando, Karma..... (He's familiar with that word)

 

Red Bull would be stupid to hire him and all the distraction he brings that might eventually be at the expense of Max and his chances to win one or more races this year.

[Beamer]

Well, if it happens it could mean that he's found a drive at F1 after the summer break. Couldn't it?

It could, but it could also be that they suddenly remembered, through sainz and Norris, that it is actually possible to have a positive, healthy working relationship with drivers that actually give constructive feedback on the car, leading to engineers actually working with good morale and teamspirit and ending up on at the front of the midfield.

But there could of course also be a f1 team that's had enough of all that and decided its time to spice things up and hired alonso.

[jstrains]

Why? He would have nothing to lose against Max and if Max beats him, he is better...

[Beamer]

Why? He would have nothing to lose against Max and if Max beats him, he is better...

Nobody says alo would have something to lose

[loki]

Where can I buy shares in the Autosport 2020 Dakar thread?

That would be entertaining.  Were he serious about Dakar he'd be at Silk Way this week.  He's not.

[AustinF1]

Well, if it happens it could mean that he's found a drive at F1 after the summer break. Couldn't it?

Welp, Alonso did say he has 8 races remaining this year. It's just a matter of which 8 he's talking about, I guess. Monza starts the final 8 GPs of 2019.

[AustinF1]

It could, but it could also be that they suddenly remembered, through sainz and Norris, that it is actually possible to have a positive, healthy working relationship with drivers that actually give constructive feedback on the car, leading to engineers actually working with good morale and teamspirit and ending up on at the front of the midfield.

But there could of course also be a f1 team that's had enough of all that and decided its time to spice things up and hired alonso.

Lulz. Which drivers do you think gave the feedback that helped this car to the front of the midfield?

Edited by AustinF1, 06 July 2019 - 20:16.

[PayasYouRace]

Well, if it happens it could mean that he's found a drive at F1 after the summer break. Couldn't it?

 

Alonso to replace Kubica at Williams. Brings Kimoa sponsorship.

[Beamer]

Lulz. Which drivers do you think gave the feedback that helped this car to the front of the midfield?

Norris or Sainz?


Defenitely not the driver that had to give the feedback in 2017 (or 16, or 15) as input for the absolute worst mcl chassis ever of 2018.....

[AustinF1]

Norris or Sainz?


Defenitely not the driver that had to give the feedback in 2017 (or 16, or 15) as input for the absolute worst mcl chassis ever of 2018.....

The car was designed and built well last year, when the team had stopped developing the 2018 car & Alonso and Stof were spending lots of time testing parts the team openly admitted were being run for the 2019 car. Hard to believe this is something that actually has to be explained here.

[KevR]

Alonso to replace Kubica at Williams. Brings Kimoa sponsorship.

He's itching to get that ride. It would suit very well his career path looking at the kind of seats he's been getting over the years.

[PayasYouRace]

He's itching to get that ride. It would suit very well his career path looking at the kind of seats he's been getting over the years.

 

Williams could do with those 6 tenths too.

[AustinF1]

Williams could do with those 6 tenths too.

6 tenths of a bazillion dollars...

[r4mses]

Williams could do with those 6 tenths too.

 

six tenths plus that second they lose due to their pride and shitty gearbox... 

[PayasYouRace]

6 tenths of a bazillion dollars...

 

Kimoa must be doing a lot better than I thought.

[AustinF1]

Kimoa must be doing a lot better than I thought.

I doubt it's doing that well. What I mean to say is that what Williams needs is $$$$$.

[Atreiu]

“Parting on amicable terms” is a first for Fred...

Paraphrasing some lost movie, it’s funny because it’s true.

[kumo7]

Some said, Alonso to Ferrari,... 

[KnucklesAgain]

Norris or Sainz?


Defenitely not the driver that had to give the feedback in 2017 (or 16, or 15) as input for the absolute worst mcl chassis ever of 2018.....

 

Fernando Alonso and Stoffel Vandoorne deserve a "lot of credit" for helping McLaren develop a much better Formula 1 car this year, says its new team boss Andreas Seidl.
Although both drivers endured frustrations with McLaren's lack of competiveness over recent years, Seidl thinks that the job they did in steering the team down the right development path has been hugely important.

 

"I think no one expected it inside the team, after finishing the [2018] season as the ninth fastest car to make such a step," said Seidl, when asked by Autosport if he had been expecting such a step forward.
"It simply shows that a lot of the changes that were triggered last year are paying off.
"The team did a good job in bringing this year's car on track. They understood a lot after the input of the drivers from last year, and we should pay a lot of credit to Fernando and Stoffel, pointing out what the weaknesses were and what direction we needed to develop the car.

"That all pays off now."

 
https://www.autospor...or-2019-mclaren

Edited by KnucklesAgain, 07 July 2019 - 09:56.

[AustinF1]

Some said, Alonso to Ferrari,... 

Go on...

[AustinF1]

Geri Halliwell (Horner's better half) has chimed in on finding a replacement for Gasly...

 

 

Driver Carousel: Red Bull seeks successor to Unsuccessful Gasly

Ironically Spice Girl Geri Halliwell, wife of Red Bull team boss Christian Horner, came on the live TV show Sport and Talk from Hangar-7 with an original proposal in search of a possible replacement for the unsuccessful Pierre Gasly: ​​" You should bring back the greats of the past - Alonso, for example. "

(Google translation)

https://sport.oe24.a...lonso/387487122

Edited by AustinF1, 07 July 2019 - 14:01.

[KnucklesAgain]

Geri Halliwell (Horner's better half) has chimed in on finding a replacement for Gasly...
 
(Google translation)
https://sport.oe24.a...lonso/387487122

Hahahaha!! :rofl:

[Eruobodo]

Geri Halliwell (Horner's better half) has chimed in on finding a replacement for Gasly...

 

(Google translation)

https://sport.oe24.a...lonso/387487122

In Lavar Ball's voice she should STAY IN HER LANE, sorry could not resist.

[CPR]

https://racer.com/20...he-table-brown/
 

McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown says a full-time entry into next year’s IndyCar series is now more likely than a one-off at Indianapolis.

Following his team’s failure to qualify for this year’s Indy 500 (pictured), Brown told RACER he felt it could be more sensible to only focus on the same race in 2020 in order to ensure it learns from its mistakes. At the time, Brown described it as “highly unlikely” there would be a full-time entry, but that stance has now changed as he still evaluates McLaren’s future in the United States.

“That’s still very much a work in progress,” Brown said at the German Grand Prix. “We learned a lot on what not to do this year in Indy. That was a rude awakening. I made a lot of mistakes in how I put that together. The reasons we want to go to Indy remain. That doesn’t change.

“I think on Fernando, we wanted him to test our Formula 1 car to validate everything that he was giving us feedback on last year. So the only statement we made was we weren’t going to have him test our Formula 1 car anymore and then that got picked up in the wrong way because our relationship is very much intact commercially, contractually — nothing’s changed.

“I’d love to have him involved in an IndyCar program if we were to do it and he wants to do it. He’s undecided on what he wants to do next year. I think this is the first time in 17 or 18 years he doesn’t have a calendar filled with racing next year, so I think he needs to take the summer break to reconcile in his own mind what he wants to do. But if we were to go IndyCar racing and he wanted to do it, of course he would be top of our list.

“We don’t want to shy away from spotlight. I think Fernando brings a tremendous amount of focus but I think as McLaren so do we. So that doesn’t really factor into our thinking of, ‘Let’s take a driver that doesn’t come with as much pressure.’ If we enter IndyCar it’s going to be to win races; ether that’s with Fernando or another driver. So I don’t think it changes those dynamics.”

[Joseki]

Adam Sterns mentions talks with SPM again.

[maximilian]

The SPM rumor link is interesting, not in the least because of the Honda factor... if McLaren partners or indeed takes over SPM... will they switch to Chevy?  Then what becomes of Honda spokesperson Hinchcliffe?  

[PayasYouRace]

The SPM rumor link is interesting, not in the least because of the Honda factor... if McLaren partners or indeed takes over SPM... will they switch to Chevy?  Then what becomes of Honda spokesperson Hinchcliffe?  

 

He becomes a Chevy spokesman.

[jonpollak]

Who’d be their #1 driver if ALO only does a handful of races?
Or better yet.. Who’d YOU like to see in that car ?

Jp

[Joseki]

Scott Dixon

[jonpollak]

I’d go with Pato.. .
Jp

[Anja]

Realistically, I could see them going for someone like Bourdais. A driver with plenty of experience in the series would be a massive help. 

[jonpollak]

Great call Anja.
Jp

[FLB]

Could this be a place for DJ Willy P if Mr. Penske decides to do whatever it takes to get Rossi?

[maximilian]

Robert Wickens

[kumo7]

I do not think that Indy is such a challenge...

[loki]

I do not think that Indy is such a challenge...

Fred and Zak disagree...

 

We won't be seeing any McLaren to Indycar not next season anyway.  If they were serious they'd be working on it already.  SPM?  Maybe because that's the only way they'd be able to do it is to buy someone.  Then leave them alone and let them run it.  There is nothing they can offer an established Indycar team besides money.  They'd be better off buying a sponsor slot and putting a known quantity in the seat or sponsoring a known quantity on the grid.  The Bourdais angle would be a good choice.  Car with a good guy that needs some money and could deliver under the right circumstances.