What is McLaren doing?

Veyron · 07-08-2003, 07:52 AM

Two MP4/18's will be on track testing this week, yet Ron say's an MP4/19 will be on track by the end of the season. Does this mean they are not confident in the 18 therefor it will have a short life, or will the 19 just be a slight evolution of the 18?

freakray · 07-08-2003, 07:56 AM

It's taken so long to get the 18 out the 19 has already got that far into the development?

Who knows.....they really need to get the 18 up to racing soon though, otherwise it will be a waste of time bringing it out when the 19 is already on the way....

Guido · 07-08-2003, 09:53 AM

Let me repeat what I've said before. We'll see the 18 running in the last 4 races of this year and they'll take it into 2004 a long way, just until the 19 is bullet proof. McLaren is shifting its intro of the new challenger into the summer from now on. Advantage is that they start the new 2004 campaign with a car that has already some race-distance under its belt. They must be very confident about the performances of this 18. So confident thqt they believe it will still be strong enough to crush the competition next year. Meaning they found 2 secs or so, which is a lot to find with a new car. No wonder it takes them so long.

But once it's there, it'll be bye bye amigo's. See you in 2006

NSX · 07-08-2003, 10:01 AM

So McLaren's not releasing their new car @ Silverstone?

Guido · 07-08-2003, 10:04 AM

According to BBC-CEEFAX yesterday, Ron Dennis said that there migth be a possibility that they will not introduce it at Silverstone.

NSX · 07-08-2003, 10:05 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by huudo
According to BBC-CEEFAX yesterday, Ron Dennis said that there migth be a possibility that they will not introduce it at Silverstone.

Well, McLaren had a nice run.

THat really sucks; the thread title really is appropriate!
hahaa

omg, how many races are left?

ales · 07-09-2003, 02:19 AM

They had some problems yesterday, and considering that testing is banned for a month after Siverstone ...

Michael Schumacher · 07-09-2003, 02:42 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by NSX

Well, McLaren had a nice run.
THat really sucks; the thread title really is appropriate!
hahaa

omg, how many races are left?

Only 6

NSX · 07-09-2003, 03:47 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Michael Schumacher

Only 6

I think I'll have to take back my guess that Kimii will win this season then;

freakray · 07-09-2003, 05:07 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by NSX

I think I'll have to take back my guess that Kimii will win this season then;

Why

6 races is a lot of racing, anything can happen in six races.....

....a whole championship can be lost or won in 1 race and you're worried about six??

Michael Schumacher · 07-09-2003, 09:02 PM

He just likes to be on the safe side, Ferraris side

.
J/K
Hes right though, a lot can happen in 1 or 2 races let alone 6.

NSX · 07-09-2003, 09:31 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by freakray

Why

6 races is a lot of racing, anything can happen in six races.....

....a whole championship can be lost or won in 1 race and you're worried about six??

You're right; like if MS, JPM, & RS suddenly retire out of every race. hehe

Well, I'm just being sarcastic, but it seems that the BMW & Ferrari cars are much better than the McLaren one; & I'm treating the new car as a saving grace.

freakray · 07-09-2003, 10:36 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Michael Schumacher

Hes right though, a lot can happen in 1 or 2 races let alone 6.

One for the records......we agree on something at last

Michael Schumacher · 07-09-2003, 10:44 PM

Theres a first time for everything I guess

.

davewin · 07-14-2003, 05:28 PM

Here's my conspiracy theory:

McLaren had no intention of introducing their new car in the first half of the 2003 season.

Their goal all along was to pretend to have a new car for this year but their real intent is to roll it out for 2004. It's just ploy.

This way they can save time and money by only making one all new car in 2 years that's REALLY fast, and continue to develop the current car which they'd do anyway, regardless of which car they raced.

Naturally the new car must be a quantum leap forward to justify the risk and investment. But they probably have this all planned out.

The current McLaren is starting to fall behind. As the new car gets reliable enough to race, I think they may be able to pull it out for the last few races to make an impact on the championship.

If it's reliable enough they'll have both drivers race it. But if there are lingering reliability doubts and the points gap between their 2 drivers is still large, they'll probably have Coulthard race it and have Kimi keep the old car, the reverse of what Schumacher and Barrichello did in 2002 with the Ferrari.

At the start of 2004 McLaren may be as dominant as they were in 1998.

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