Martin Whitmarsh has once again made it very clear that McLaren 2010 will be both harmonious and fair.
For what is about the millionth time this month, Whitmarsh or a McLaren official has made sure to let us know that next season will not turn into a repeat performance of 2007.
The Dennis vs Alonso vs Hamilton saga of 2007 was a complete debacle and the good thing about Whitmarsh and about these absurd declarations of equality is that they serve two purposes.
The first is top confirm that McLaren do actually realise that a lot of the 2007 fallout was due to mismanagement on their (Ron Dennis’) part.
The second is to make it clear that come hell or high water, the same thing will not happen in 2010 – at least publicly.
2007 vs 2010
Things are very different this time around though. Both drivers are British, which I actually do think will make a huge difference in a British team. Whether I think that’s right or not is another matter. But that, coupled with the more relaxed Martin Whitmarsh at the helm will probably make next season a lot more harmonious.
Also while Senor Alonso is a lot of things – laid back is definitely not one of them. Button, on the other hand, is often described as being a laid back guy. Hamilton, ironically, is more in the Alonso mould although – importantly – he is probably a little less highly strung. However, he is as highly competitive as Alonso is. Jenson, while obviously competitive, is not as out-and-out ruthless as Hamilton, so rather than the clash of the similar-personalities we saw in 2007, next season will hopefully be a more “complimentary-personalities” affair.
The Cars
However, where McLaren and their drivers may have problems is with the set up.
No matter how good their intentions are, the team may have some major problems with keeping things equal and fair.
In Jenson’s recently released book “Jenson Button, My Championship Year”, while talking about the 2008 Honda and why Barichello outclassed him, he says
“There was a simple reason why he bettered me…I struggled to coax the best out of the car whereas Rubens, who likes a car with oversteer, had an easier time of it…I like the car to be stable at the rear…”
What he is describing there is exactly the problem he will have at McLaren. Hamilton is a “sliding rear end” driver, just like Rubens. And in his “own” (ahem) words, he struggled with a car like that.
I’m sure that McLaren will do their best to create two different cars that suit each driver, but surely they can only do it to a certain extent. Do it past the optimum opposite-development point (if there is such a thing) and it must become detrimental rather than beneficial to the team.
I, personally, believe that is where there will be problems for the Woking-based team in 2010. It won’t be a repeat of 2007 because 2007 was a personality/favouritism problem and I believe McLaren have learned a harsh and necessary lesson. It won’t be about “Lewis’ Team” vs The Other Driver as it was for Alonso in ’07. It will be about car set-up in a team built already around a driver who likes understeer and the new guy who likes the opposite. At some point in the season the compromise will have to be made and it will favour one driver over the other, and I’d be willing to bet that it’ll be Hamilton over Button.
What do you guys think? Do you think it’ll be smooth sailing in 2010 for McLaren or will there be problems?
