Can McLaren catch up?

[Revelo]

Ok, So we all know well enough whats happened to McLaren and how well they have preformed during pre-season testing and during the qualifying. Although some nice driving by Lewis and a somewhat lucky 3rd place has at least gotten them off to a good start. So do people think they can play catch up to Brawn to a lesser extent, Ferrari? What else do you think may happen to them over the coming season?

[Alexander]

I think they'll be winning again before the circus arrives in Europe again. They have to much knowledge, experience and resources to keep struggling like this. Just like Ferrari.

[Captain Hammer]

Maybe ... but I think the ban on in-season testing is going to hurt them more than anyone else (except maybe Red Bull if they have to design a Brawn-esque diffuser). If they do become competitive, it's going to be too late to mount a title challenge. The other teams that have been competitive have already said they still have a lot of room for improvement, so McLaren will have to work twice as hard.

Not that I'll be sorry to see that. I'm afraid I have very little respect for McLaren and Lewis Hamilton.

[LukeB]

McLaren, being soulless abominations, can be knocked back temporarily but never killed completely. In the end they always catch up and warp their cold rotten grey hands around any intrest or personality in F1 and choke it to death.

[McLaren Racing]

McLaren, being soulless abominations, can be knocked back temporarily but never killed completely. In the end they always catch up and warp their cold rotten grey hands around any intrest or personality in F1 and choke it to death.

What a charming post.

Anyway, I would expect McLaren to move deservedly towards the front of the grid, particularly if they build a double-decker-diffuser car in time for the series to return home to Europe in May. I'm sure those Machiavellian fiends in red will improve too.

[Captain Hammer]

McLaren, being soulless abominations, can be knocked back temporarily but never killed completely. In the end they always catch up and warp their cold rotten grey hands around any intrest or personality in F1 and choke it to death.

What a charming post.

Anyway, I would expect McLaren to move deservedly towards the front of the grid, particularly if they build a double-decker-diffuser car in time for the series to return home to Europe in May. I'm sure those Machiavellian fiends in red will improve too.

What was that you were saying about charming posts?

[McLaren Racing]

McLaren, being soulless abominations, can be knocked back temporarily but never killed completely. In the end they always catch up and warp their cold rotten grey hands around any intrest or personality in F1 and choke it to death.

What a charming post.

Anyway, I would expect McLaren to move deservedly towards the front of the grid, particularly if they build a double-decker-diffuser car in time for the series to return home to Europe in May. I'm sure those Machiavellian fiends in red will improve too.

What was that you were saying about charming posts?

I'll post it again if you didn't catch it the first time.

[CarlosFerreira]

If it was last year, I'd say yes. The ban in testing will probably hurt, that's for sure. That double decker diffuser's probably ready by now, as everyone else's, and is being tested in the CFD, and the car will be changed as soon as the FIA rules it legal.
Either way, doubts still abound as to whether Lewis and Heiki are development drivers, who can give useful indications to the team. They needed Damon Hill testing right now...

[Dom]

They needed Damon Hill testing right now...

Or Luca Badoer....

[Rodrigo]

Not after the multi-million dollar fine they'll have to pay for being naughty... again.

[Salamander]

I think this year's McLaren is eerily reminiscent of the Williams of 1998. Think about it, both were very successful for two years, mainly built around one driver who came in in the first year of this success (Villeneuve in 1996, Hamilton in 2007) and won the WDC in the second. Now McLaren has fallen off the map in performance compared to what they had in 2007 and 2008, just like Williams did in 1998. The stories might not be exactly the same, but there sure is a lot of similarity between the two.

[CarlosFerreira]

I think this year's McLaren is eerily reminiscent of the Williams of 1998. Think about it, both were very successful for two years, mainly built around one driver who came in in the first year of this success (Villeneuve in 1996, Hamilton in 2007) and won the WDC in the second. Now McLaren has fallen off the map in performance compared to what they had in 2007 and 2008, just like Williams did in 1998. The stories might not be exactly the same, but there sure is a lot of similarity between the two.

McLaren's not losing big sponsors or official Mercedes backing. They won't be using Mecachromes for all we know. As long as Mercedes, Vodafone and the rest of the Mclaren doesn't pull the plug on Whitmarsh, and the FIA doesn't go silly with penalties, I expect McLaren to bounce back... for 2010.