How will the public take McLaren?

djones · Post 14 Sep 2007, 21:27

I know there is already a topic on the whole Mclaren subject but that now has it's own groove.

How do people think Mclaren and Alsonso will be treated this weekend?

Will people boo Alonso etc?

Also, it will be interesting to see how McLarens sponsors take the whole thing.

Will sponsors leave? If you were the owner of Santander would you want to be associated with dirty cheats!?

axle · Post 14 Sep 2007, 21:55

The CEO of Santander has already come out in public support for Ron Dennis and McLaren as a whole.

I think most of the sponsors will take this on the chin, whilst there's no doubt the publicity is tainted, there's no such thing as bad publicity!

The McLaren sponsors have had so much press coverage with shots of the drivers, cars etc, they'll know they are getting their advertising's money's worth + next year, with McLaren fighting back from the bottom of the pits hugh media and public interest will be generated...

IMO it would be a very short sighted sponsor who quits now.

Tom · Post 15 Sep 2007, 01:55

I think they will recieve a heros welcome in Spa, after all the fuss Hamilton has created and autosports error which no doubt had people all over Europe in tears for a while, to have the team come back and effectively beat the FIA, they will be gods among men at the Belgian circuit.

Rob W · Post 15 Sep 2007, 02:28

I agree with Tom. People just want the racing to move on...

People who think McLaren deserve to die already thought that anyway, and people who loathed Ferrari already did too. This didn't change much.

A surprise out of all of this is that the technically in-the-right team (Ferrari) have suffered some pretty negative PR in all of this. They don't seem as if they've gained any moral or publicity wins despite McLaren being the team under the spotlight.

Many articles/blogs suggest their sour grapes and nepotism with the FIA have been a main factor in this. I've seen plenty of old examples of their unsporting actions brought back up in discussions - thing's they'd probably rather were left in the past.

Time will tell.

Rob W

checkered · Post 15 Sep 2007, 03:20

I don't know

if most of the public can become aware of the real protagonists, rationales and events of the spy story very soon. Certainly this soon afterwards it'd take a lot of effort and time to familiarise oneself with enough material to get any real perspective on the thing, more than most fans at Spa and in front of their computers and TVs have been able to do anyway. I expect reactions from one extreme to another and everything in between. The real story will emerge in time, clear as day.

People within the teams will be well informed. McLaren will not be the butt of jokes on the pit lane, or if they are, I've grossly misjudged the character of those professionally involved in F1. I wouldn't be surprised if Ron's actions were commended by most other team bosses, out of the limelight. They know that he chose to take one for the team. He had a choice: to defend his team, perpetrators within included, or try to cover up and risk his team and the careers of many who didn't make a choice to become involved in unsporting activities. Ron went over the trenches first at enormous personal cost because he knows he leads way more people that deserve to be protected than people that don't deserve his sacrifice, and I respect him for that. He saved his team and that's the most important thing. His sponsors, for the main part will know this. Mercedes and Haug will know this.

In the Ferrari side of things, among the not-so-tifosi, the drivers will have most sympathy. It was their tactics (that they're very much involved in planning personally) that were consistently spied on and their restitution for the indignity of racing against someone who knew exactly what they were going to do and when has been slim to nonexistent, however content their team were with WMSC's findings. Otherwise, Ferrari will continue to divide opinions as ever.

DaveKillens · Post 15 Sep 2007, 04:01

I think this entire, sordid affair has harmed the FIA more than McLaren.

But as Ferrari has proven over the last decade, you can indulge in the most disgusting, low forms of gamesmanship and be forgiven/ forgotten, if you win.
McLaren are winning, one of their drivers most likely will capture the Driver's Championship, and that's really what matters.

rei · Post 15 Sep 2007, 10:30

I think the people will "boo" to FIA or WMC of what they did, their unfair decision, and weird punishment, its make the F1 racing no longer a race...

mx_tifoso · Post 16 Sep 2007, 08:54

rei wrote:I think the people will "boo" to FIA or WMC of what they did, their unfair decision, and weird punishment, its make the F1 racing no longer a race...

Of course Formula 1 is still racing, that is why you see a McLaren trumping a Ferrari, and a Williams beating a Toyota, SA beating Honda, etc.

Just because the team you prefer isn't winning doesn't mean "racing" is gone. I still think this is racing, and "my" team isn't doing so well (on track, where it counts, because to me McLaren will still be '07 WCC, if season continues the current pattern).

If life gives you lemons, make........

Post 16 Sep 2007, 10:42

mx_tifosi wrote:
rei wrote:I think the people will "boo" to FIA or WMC of what they did, their unfair decision, and weird punishment, its make the F1 racing no longer a race...
Of course Formula 1 is still racing, that is why you see a McLaren trumping a Ferrari, and a Williams beating a Toyota, SA beating Honda, etc.

Just because the team you prefer isn't winning doesn't mean "racing" is gone. I still think this is racing, and "my" team isn't doing so well (on track, where it counts, because to me McLaren will still be '07 WCC, if season continues the current pattern).

If life gives you lemons, make........

screw drivers and get wasted?

but well said

captainmorgan · Post 16 Sep 2007, 11:53

I understand that people might consider McLaren to be "cheats" in light of the FIA's evidence put forward. They had simulation data to learn things they wouldn't otherwise have learned about the Ferrari. They may have been listening in on encrypted radio even this year. But why do people seem to assume that McLaren is the ONLY team to be doing this? It is the less likely assumption.

It was BS for Bridgestone to be selected anyway, apparently using 2004 tires from what people are saying.

RH1300S · Post 16 Sep 2007, 13:38

I'm wondering what people will make of Alonso when they work it all through.

Last year's brilliant warrior in a Renault - and much loved for it arrives at McLaren and look what happens:

He collaborates in cheating (as far as I am concerned he is as implicated as the team, if not more so) - and remember this was happening long before Hamilton took the shine off his glow

He acts like a spoiled child because he is out-classed by a brilliant team-mate

He tries to blackmail his boss

Not the best CV

That said, he now seems to be letting his driving do the talking

Principessa · Post 16 Sep 2007, 18:22

Just got back from Spa-Francorchamps! The public really choose the side of McLaren...the merchandise of McLaren was seen everywhere and a lot of people bought it during the weekend. McLaren still as popular as ever...don't worry

Spencifer_Murphy · Post 17 Sep 2007, 12:57

djones wrote:Will sponsors leave? If you were the owner of Santander would you want to be associated with dirty cheats!?

Well no sponsors left Ferrari after the numerous things they've done over the last decade! So why would sponsors leave Mclaren now?

davekillens wrote:I think this entire, sordid affair has harmed the FIA more than McLaren.
But as Ferrari has proven over the last decade, you can indulge in the most disgusting, low forms of gamesmanship and be forgiven/ forgotten, if you win.

BRAVO! BRAVO!

They may have been listening in on encrypted radio even this year. But why do people seem to assume that McLaren is the ONLY team to be doing this? It is the less likely assumption.

Well pointed out on the last point.

The thing about the encrypted radio though: IIRC Ferrari are the only team who wont open their radio up so we (the public) can all listen. Ferrari at the end of the day, see themselves as 50% of F1, even though they only make up less than 10% of the grid. If Mclaren are listening to Ferrari encrypted radio - GOOD, serves then right for putting their radio transmissions above the fans & spectators on their prioities list. Shows you just what the people running Ferrari nowadays are like doesn't it.

People say F1 without Ferrari wouldn't be F1, I'd argue that could be said for Mclaren & Williams also. (People would have said the same thing about Lotus & Tyrell I imagine back in the '70's) But thats for another thread...

Carlos · Post 17 Sep 2007, 13:43

Ferrari is encrypted because the mechanics are still whining about why they had to go rear engine after a decade + of honest front engine cars... is the car the right colour of red... why do we have to drink Kimi's funny beer... it's not Italian... why won't MS race... why are our cars only finishing one-two on the podium? It never stops

NEVER

Carlos · Post 17 Sep 2007, 13:51

I'll take my McLaren with orange sprinkles and a little kiwi to cuddle - they are so cute.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kiwi