Bahrain GP Chat and Predictions

While I agree, I do feel that had McL carried on with Honda and it was another dog they would have looked so stupid? I think they had no choice, irrespective of Alonso, they just couldn't take the risk of a 4th bad season.
I also think that now Honda are making a PU that at least has reasonable power then they can progress quickly. Mind you with only 3 PU allowed I feel it won't be long before TR have lots of penalties. This should give Honda and Red Bull confidence in 2019 season, but I do feel that RB are only going to use Honda as a stop gap till the 2021 regs and they have their own Aston Martin badged PU.

As for McL's chassis I wonder if they mucked up the 2018 chassis or the previous ones were as bad but that was masked by the PU?

 

Thing is, this engine formula essentially ends in 2020. The sensible decision for McLaren was to go for an engine that could be respectable at least, and improving towards Ferrari Merc at best. There was nothing that Honda had shown that justified a 4th year and even Honda getting it right, they’d have two to three years at very best before the dial gets reset.

So McLaren has gone for something that scores them regular points and, if they deliver on their chassis promise, might pinch the odd podium. From a sponsorship perspective, that is vital. 3 years of breaking down again and they’d have no one wanting them in 2021. What they want is sponsors looking at them and thinking “yeah that team can score podiums”.

Their issue is Alonso and Boulliers mouths. They keep over promising and under delivering. I can’t see how a chassis upgrade can find them a second in lap time (which is what’s needed to be in any fight with Red Bull) so they need to start delivering.

Whilst Toro Rosso got 4th and made them look silly, the reality is that it was equally fortunate and that you could throw a blanket over the midfield. I understand that Honda are also on their second ICE already? Not good.

This year looks a pretty nailed on replica of last year at the front. Hot tracks for Ferrari, cool tracks for Mercedes, and high downforce for RBR.

 

It was a problem for McLaren. Fail again in 2018 with Honda and everyone would say they should have changed, fail again in 2018 but with a different engine and there is less for them to hide behind.

They started 2017 off badly but made decent progress and in the end Alonso was in the points consistently, but was that car or engine development? A lot is now riding on McLaren improving their car to show that they can still do it. The marker for them will always be RBR at the moment, so they need to at least be up with them at the end of the season for it to be considered a decent season.

 

Williams are a far bigger fail than Macca right now. Right at the back, two pay drivers, title sponsor on the way out, and all this with easily the best power unit on the grid. How is it going to get any better in the near future? Seems like an absolute crisis to me.

 

I don' think we have seen the true RBR yet. I have a feeling they can offer more in a race.

 

Maybe you should change your sig from MCLAREN HONDA -"powerhouse" to TORO ROSSO HONDA -"powerhouse"

 

I agree- I thought them being within 3 tenths in Quali in Bahrain was outstanding, hence why I fancied them to have a great race. Unfortunately Max was careless and Dan unlucky.

On a side note- how do we think the Dan Ricc contract situation will pan out this year?

Should he :

a) sign a long term deal
b) sign for another team
c) sign a two year extension to 2020 and assess who to sign for with the new regs?

 

Ricciardo should do everything in his power to get that 2nd Merc seat imo.

 

I'm not sure about that. OK so Merc didn't stop Nico winning WDC but they learned about driver conflict. I am not sure where he would be best jumping. The only place I think he could excel in would be Renault but I am not sure they can come back quickly enough.
Lets face it he isn't favourite in RB, he would be no2 at Ferrari, and I think No2 at Merc, so not really that many options.

Unless of course Lewis retires in the next year or so then the Merc seat would be perfect for him.

 

Fair points... but he could really give Hamilton a run for his money. That would be a fight I wouldn't mind watching!

 

It's been pointed out to me that not only is it worse than last years car, but Strolls time doesn't even beat the one Massa set in 2016.

 

That is quite staggering on a circuit where Mercedes power should rule.

It's hardly the most technical circuit either so the Williams must have fundamental issues in all areas. So they have designed a car that is so bad, that even with the extra power from the engine over the last couple of years, they are still slower!

 

They need a proper driver in there before the ship completely sinks. It would actually be worth trying to throw a ton of cash at Rosberg.

 

Stick Kubica in for a Friday and see how he goes. I don't think it would cost them unless they dumped one of their other drivers and they lost that money but a Friday would help show what the car is capable of with a better driver. Well as long as Kubica is still capable?

 

That is the unknown with putting him in a car, as surely Renault or Williams would have put him in a race set if they felt he was capable?

Williams just don't have a yardstick to truly measure the performance of their car against. Neither Stroll or Sirotkin have the experience to provide proper feedback in a situation like this.

 

True he is an unknown today but he is just an alternative driver they have and could use to see his lap times and feedback. He might not be ultimately representative but if he can extract better lap times it shows it's the drivers. If not then maybe they have not learned much but maybe some better feedback?
Clutching at straws really as they are just so slow it's unbelievable.