2023 - McLaren Formula 1 Team

[Motörhead]

I’m not too sure how the triumvirate will work. For sure, Sanchez will come in and have overall concept decisions. He’s also a damn fine Aerodynamicist in his own right. So I’m sure he knows which way he will want to take the team.
Prod will now be finally exposed. He has 8 months of having it his way before Sanchez joins the party. No excuses.
As has been mentioned here already.
It’s probably the case that there’s no one else available at the moment.
So, he either shines, or burns. No hiding anymore. Then a decision can be made as to his true worth to the team.
I have faith in Stella. He’s meticulous and more hands on than Sedil, and carries genuine respect within the team.
Overall, it’s plans within plans. And clever.

I feel sorry for Key. He had to deal with a team through Covid and the cost cap and the majority of his energies weren’t concentrated on the important stuff. Bad timing.
A good guy and he will succeed elsewhere.

[FW17]

I never understood why they made a great deal about key. His recent times were with Toro rosso which is nowhere in size and ambition compared to Mclaren

[mwillems]

Because he did a fantastic job there, or at least he and his team did, by creating cars that were faster than their smaller budget should generally have allowed. We aren't going to the big teams and stealing their guys, Sanchez is good signing from a team who's management is in internal disarray and there is some unhappiness. But otherwise we will be looking for the top emerging talent and key was one of those, and may still go on to do very well elsewhere.

[Ground Effect]

The world of F1 is fascinating. I just read Joe Saward replying a poster. Apparently, according to Joe, Matt Morris refused to work with Key when told Key was McLaren bound. As I remember though, Morris and Goss were ousted at the same time, along with Boulier? Maybe there was more behind the scenes than a mere firing of Morris.

[mwillems]

The world of F1 is fascinating. I just read Joe Saward replying a poster. Apparently, according to Joe, Matt Morris refused to work with Key when told Key was McLaren bound. As I remember though, Morris and Goss were ousted at the same time, along with Boulier? Maybe there was more behind the scenes than a mere firing of Morris.

In that very same chat someone said that if only they'd fire Prodromou also, "If only it was so easy" Joe replies...

[Ground Effect]

The world of F1 is fascinating. I just read Joe Saward replying a poster. Apparently, according to Joe, Matt Morris refused to work with Key when told Key was McLaren bound. As I remember though, Morris and Goss were ousted at the same time, along with Boulier? Maybe there was more behind the scenes than a mere firing of Morris.

In that very same chat someone said that if only they'd fire Prodromou also, "If only it was so easy" Joe replies...

From all Zak’s actions, it doesn’t look like he’s adverse to making tough decisions and letting people go when it seems they’re underperforming. I mean, he’s made some very big calls. Ending the Honda deal, which was said to be worth $100M a year. Firing Goss, Boullier, Bob Fernley, Gil De Ferran, Ricciardo and of course, James Key. So it makes me wonder about Prodromou. From the outside, it seems McLaren have big aero problems and you’d expect Prod to be on the firing line. But alas, he’s still there and now Technical Director, Aerodynamics. He’s practically invisible, never does media or promotional content, get interviewed etc. Maybe most of his ideas or suggestions were vetoed by Key? Maybe he’s been vindicated by the recent change in the developmental path? My point is, if he was underperforming, I think Zak would not hesitate to let him go, just a guess though. Anyway, let’s hope the new structure brings out the best in the team.

[mwillems]

I suppose it depends on who there is to replace him. Since I suppose that after Zak and then Stella, those next three are on similar salaries, we have one person we could throw money at and miss the salary cap if we wanted to try it.

So since it is a quiet news week, EXCLUDING NEWEY (!!!) who would be the best signing to head the Aero development?

Afterthought: That said, I have no issue with PP, he's done some good work and some not so good. In the next 8 months he will have unfettered Aero control and I would assume have a bigger say in the new car and he was still retained. This time next year we may well be saying the PP has done a great job.

[Mostlyeels]

The world of F1 is fascinating. I just read Joe Saward replying a poster. Apparently, according to Joe, Matt Morris refused to work with Key when told Key was McLaren bound. As I remember though, Morris and Goss were ousted at the same time, along with Boulier? Maybe there was more behind the scenes than a mere firing of Morris.

In that very same chat someone said that if only they'd fire Prodromou also, "If only it was so easy" Joe replies...

From all Zak’s actions, it doesn’t look like he’s adverse to making tough decisions and letting people go when it seems they’re underperforming. I mean, he’s made some very big calls. Ending the Honda deal, which was said to be worth $100M a year. Firing Goss, Boullier, Bob Fernley, Gil De Ferran, Ricciardo and of course, James Key. So it makes me wonder about Prodromou. From the outside, it seems McLaren have big aero problems and you’d expect Prod to be on the firing line. But alas, he’s still there and now Technical Director, Aerodynamics. He’s practically invisible, never does media or promotional content, get interviewed etc. Maybe most of his ideas or suggestions were vetoed by Key? Maybe he’s been vindicated by the recent change in the developmental path? My point is, if he was underperforming, I think Zak would not hesitate to let him go, just a guess though. Anyway, let’s hope the new structure brings out the best in the team.

He does do a little public speaking, but not so much about the team e.g. https://www.reddit.com/r/formula1/comme ... iew_notes/

I'm happy that only the TP, CEO, people on that level do the actual interviews, both to avoid mixed messages coming from the team, and also any time spent doing publicity is time away from working on the car (though someone has to do it, obviously). Of course, this leads to questions like "what does X do, I never hear from them" and "how effective is Y, I never hear from them". It sounds like this year it'll just be Stella doing the talking about the technical performance of the car, now that Key has left.

[EJ22B]

I remember Key saying last year that the team did have bold concept ideas like the teams at the front but didn't pursue them because of the existing infrastructure limitations.

Maybe Prodromou and other aero engineers are actually very capable but the technology limits them.

[mwillems]

I remember Key saying last year that the team did have bold concept ideas like the teams at the front but didn't pursue them because of the existing infrastructure limitations.

Maybe Prodromou and other aero engineers are actually very capable but the technology limits them.

He said they didn't pursue them because Covid left them with little time to spare and because they were not aggressive enough, IIRC the Wind Tunnel allowance is gifted monthly and because of the circumstances of getting to Cologne during Covid Lockdown, we were barely able to use the tunnel until towards the end of the year, where we had to ask the FIA for permission to use some of the previous months Wind Tunnel time. They granted the request but it still left us behind. And they then kicked themselves with hindsight that they didn't go for some of the ideas, but that they didn't feel they were able to assess them enough to push them through.

[JordanMugen]

So since it is a quiet news week, EXCLUDING NEWEY (!!!) who would be the best signing to head the Aero development?

Why would Newey want to go to McLaren when he has everything he wants at Red Bull Racing, one of the finest racing teams in Formula One.

Including the input on driver signings and technical facilities, which was so lacking at Williams and McLaren. E.g., Gasly argued with Newey? Well Gasly's gone and will never drive for Red Bull again. Simple.

[mwillems]

So since it is a quiet news week, EXCLUDING NEWEY (!!!) who would be the best signing to head the Aero development?

Why would Newey want to go to McLaren when he has everything he wants at Red Bull Racing, one of the finest racing teams in Formula One.

Including the input on driver signings and technical facilities, which was so lacking at Williams and McLaren. E.g., Gasly argued with Newey? Well Gasly's gone and will never drive for Red Bull again. Simple.

Yes that is why I exclude him, plus he's the too obvious number 1.

So after newey, who are the people we'd most like to see head up our Aero Dept.?

[FW17]

Because he did a fantastic job there, or at least he and his team did, by creating cars that were faster than their smaller budget should generally have allowed. We aren't going to the big teams and stealing their guys, Sanchez is good signing from a team who's management is in internal disarray and there is some unhappiness. But otherwise we will be looking for the top emerging talent and key was one of those, and may still go on to do very well elsewhere.

Size of the staff under those organizations also should have been considered. Force India, Sauber and Torro Rosso were all much smaller teams when compared to Mclaren.
Key must be talented as an engineer, but it did not work out when managing a large work of engineers in coming up with novel ideas to their issues.
Mclaren were also too slow in addressing their infrastructure issues in the short term. While they had identified short comings of the Toyota tunnel in 2018, looks like they did nothing to fix this and accepted the long timelines of the new tunnel. They could have very well booked some time with the many other tunnels in the UK, specially during the critical regulation change phase.

[FittingMechanics]

From all Zak’s actions, it doesn’t look like he’s adverse to making tough decisions and letting people go when it seems they’re underperforming. I mean, he’s made some very big calls. Ending the Honda deal, which was said to be worth $100M a year. Firing Goss, Boullier, Bob Fernley, Gil De Ferran, Ricciardo and of course, James Key. So it makes me wonder about Prodromou. From the outside, it seems McLaren have big aero problems and you’d expect Prod to be on the firing line. But alas, he’s still there and now Technical Director, Aerodynamics. He’s practically invisible, never does media or promotional content, get interviewed etc. Maybe most of his ideas or suggestions were vetoed by Key? Maybe he’s been vindicated by the recent change in the developmental path? My point is, if he was underperforming, I think Zak would not hesitate to let him go, just a guess though. Anyway, let’s hope the new structure brings out the best in the team.

This is what I was thinking as well but didn't want to bring up another speculation to the thread. It would explain why Key was sacked so early in the season with immediate effect. Maybe he put his head on the line with his choice of concept which ended up being abandoned.

[Peter1919]

So after newey, who are the people we'd most like to see head up our Aero Dept.?

Dan Fallows but unfortunately we missed that boat when he was evidently available and now Aston Martin are reaping the rewards