You're missing the point, being that McLaren should never have signed driver combinations that would lead to sub-optimal resource allocations. If x is clearly dominant over y, the decision to allocate more resources to x makes itself, improving the chances of x, and without challenge from y. On the other hand, if x and y are approximately equal, you either make an artificial decision to allocate unevenly thereby causing unsustainable internal friction - a sub-optimal solution - or you go with the flow and allocate resources equally, but to the detriment of both - the sub-optimal solution that McLaren have found themselves in since Lewis won the WDC. The very fact that they have only themselves to blame for these sub-optimal driver combinations, is yet another piece of evidence in the 'McLaren have forgotten how to be champions' case-book.
Personally i don't see where over the last three years McLaren's driver policy has been the deciding factor. In '09,'10 and '11 they just weren't fast enough and last year the car broke down when there was a strong gust of wind, besides there is more than just a drivers championship. When Lewis won the title in 08 McLaren did not take the constructors, because Kovalainen was poor. What for example Ferrari have now is optimal only for Alonso. Fine for them because they only target the WDC but not for McLaren. Obviously it didn't work how they intended, but where did Button and Hamilton really cost each other, because i don't see it?
I am not missing the point at all, simply responding to the comment that Lewis should have been the defacto No1 becuase Button was "inferior teammate"? I will refer to my comments that I said when Button signed that a Mclaren driver was unlikely to win a WDC!
It's not obvious, and that's the key. Its a combination of all the little things, including driver choice, that make all the difference. Things such as dev decisions (unnecessary smooth nose cone), lack of responsiveness (how long did those pitstop problems go on for?), over-focus on politics (Whitmarsh should stop the politicising and concentrate on leading his team), and of course, driver choice (which affects allocation of human and financial capital). All of these impact performance in subtle non-optimal ways. Summarily, a general lack of racing nous which, over the course of a season, lost them not only first place, but also second place to an inferior car, but to a superior more focused team. As they say in football parlance "the table doesn't lie".
If this is in reference to my comment then my point was (poorly made?) that really Button should not have been Hamiltons team mate, and that even if you consider them equal then you have to admit they do have differing styles, and as was said so eloquently above - spreading your resources has led to "Sub-optimal" performances. Having already been his team mate though, when in a position to favour lewis, they did not....which was either a concequence of or led too...rumours of Mclaren liking Button more, lewis being aloof etc. However, I don't think Barbie is any worse than Button is so my logic would dictate lewis is not going to fare any better (car performance aside) than he has been!
I agree, Button was a poor signing from the point of view that they had the opportunity to build a team around similiar to Alonso and Vettle and if so I dont doubt that he would have been closer to winning a WDC. I also dont view them as equal (although on paper they would appear so over the 3 years) but I certainly dont view Button as an inferior team mate either. I think we all generally agree that Mclaren have made mistakes.
Right now Mclaren don't want undue pressure on the team or Button. So, I believe they are playing everything down to keep the pressure low and it has worked. Everyone seems to accept that the fastest car is now the fifth fastest. Great strategy, no pressure on anyone as a consequence. Let's watch and see if its the truth this weekend. While Lewis is fast and Jenson less so don't rule jenson out. There are a lot of Hammy fans that blame mclaren cos their boy did not win titles...for sure the team messed up but so did Lewis at times. As a result, I do believe the team have sandbagged all winter, more than most.
I just have a horrible feeling that McLaren have made a fast car but only fast in a very narrow window. I hope Button and Perez work together to get the most out of the car which apparently the team doesn't understand
I hope for the sake of my predictions you're wrong, got Button down as winning this years drivers title, me thinks they were the "Mother of all Sandbaggers..." during the pre-season tests!
Just read this thread for the first time. Some very interesting points have been raised. I especially like BelugaWhale's logic concerning sub-optimal performance, which tends to be the case under most 'equal opportunities' policies. It has been argued above that there may have been a change in philosophy at McLaren, perhaps in comparison to long ago. Well, I believe this was brought into sharp focus with the unfortunate incidents between Alonso and Hamilton when they were paired together, which precipitated a somewhat over-the-top reaction to the unprecedented (and wholly unfair, in my view) scrutiny imposed by the FIA to ensure that both drivers (in reality, this meant "Alonso") were being given an equal hand. No team before or since has had to comply to such an invasion of its own policy and I believe this desire to be seen as 'whiter than white' pervaded the whole, corporate mentality of McLaren, who, even at that time, were the only top level team not imposing a de facto status upon each driver! Of course, this investigation – indeed, the whole, crazy situation – was essentially self-inflicted through a series of unfortunate events, including deceit. Nonetheless, it was draconian in the extreme (in my view) and Max Mosley made sure of scoring such an open goal against Ron Dennis. The aftermath is now a team determined to be seen to be playing fair at all times; and true to Ron Dennis' philosophy, it is with his product that we see this in probably the most extreme form anywhere within international sport. Make no mistake, Whitmarsh has had a very, very difficult job to do… Goodnight.
No, if Friday practice is anything to go by, the car is just plain slow. McLaren have screwed it up again one way or another. Jenson Button, no chance.
The problem with McLaren is... That they're the new Mercedes! And Mercedes are the new McLaren: how neat is that?
Problem with McLaren? They think they're smarter than they actually are... I mean, you finish the year with the quickest car, the regs haven't changed that much, majority of the teams "Evolve" their cars and look good but McLaren have to be different, now they have a car that they don't quite understand yet and may take them a good few races before they do, by which time, others have also moved on in developing their car further and therefore the ability to claw back any time and therefore points is gone! Well done
It could all change as we get to Quali and the race of course but currently this is the opposite of what I expected. I thought Hamilton would struggle this year with a slow car but at least I'd have Button to follow who would be in a winning car.... whats gone wrong
