McLaren's Next Engine Partner?
Discussion
I can see why they went down the Honda route: it was the only Works engine/PU deal available. I genuinely feel very sorry for both parties as they have such heritage.
Things don't look too good for McLaren Honda so far in 2017. The season has a long way to go of course, but let's play Devil's Advocate - If the Woking boys part company with Honda, what would they do for power? Given the current choices of Mercedes, Renault or Ferrari, I can't imagine McLaren really wanting any of them - and perhaps those PU makers don't all want to supply current models either.
Things don't look too good for McLaren Honda so far in 2017. The season has a long way to go of course, but let's play Devil's Advocate - If the Woking boys part company with Honda, what would they do for power? Given the current choices of Mercedes, Renault or Ferrari, I can't imagine McLaren really wanting any of them - and perhaps those PU makers don't all want to supply current models either.
bobbo89 said:
I think the cogs may already be in motion for them to manufacture their own engine, it'd make a lot of commercial sense with the way their road cars are going.
No chance in the current cycle.The current regs run to 2020. Mercedes have spent (by some accounts) €140M+ per year on engine dev since the current formula was developed - at least €500M (if you take the dev years into account)
How would it make commercial sense to try to catch up? All for the sake of 2018 and 2019... and the key F1 engine people are all tied into long term contracts.
It might make sense for 2020+ once we see the ideas from Ross B et al.
But building your own engine from scratch makes no commercial sense at all at the moment, IMHO.
BMW wanted to take over Williams because they thought they knew better. SFW refused to sell, so they bought Sauber, got bored after a few years because they didn't win and bailed.
I don't think they'd entertain being a engine manufacturer again and don't have the appetite to run an entire team.
If the road cars continue to do well and they do more GT racing I can see McLarens owners flogging the team to be honest And given recent history of team sales, it won't go well...
I don't think they'd entertain being a engine manufacturer again and don't have the appetite to run an entire team.
If the road cars continue to do well and they do more GT racing I can see McLarens owners flogging the team to be honest And given recent history of team sales, it won't go well...
ks trend for 2020, maybe Tesla 
Ali2202 said:
These figures? ......
Appalling. So much WASTE!
AAAAAAAGHHHHH!!!!!!
If you think a few hundred million dollars on bleeding edge engines is wasteful, imagine how much money was wasted on developing the military industrial complex that led to the internet and your ability to write that statement for me to facepalm at.Appalling. So much WASTE!
AAAAAAAGHHHHH!!!!!!
Oh wait, R&D doesn't get forgotten, and often leads to improvements originally unforseen.
I doubt there will be any changes before the concord agreement is decided on. The new owners have already stated that they see a change in engine supply. What this means is unknown, probably they don't know what they mean themselves, but it would be foolhardy to start manufacturing your own engine until everyone knows what's happening.
CraigyMc said:
If you think a few hundred million dollars on bleeding edge engines is wasteful, imagine how much money was wasted on developing the military industrial complex that led to the internet and your ability to write that statement for me to facepalm at.
Oh wait, R&D doesn't get forgotten, and often leads to improvements originally unforseen.
I wonder which budget Mercedes apportion their F1 engine spend from? Marketing, R&D, or both?Oh wait, R&D doesn't get forgotten, and often leads to improvements originally unforseen.
I imagine the value per Euro spend on any road-relevant R&D, discovered from the current F1 programme, is very poor compared to what they'd learn from the same spent outside of it.
Would make sense for BMW to be across both road and race
https://arstechnica.co.uk/cars/2017/02/mclaren-and...
https://arstechnica.co.uk/cars/2017/02/mclaren-and...
Fundamentally the issue is that they'd be starting from scratch with someone new and they'd be waiting 3-4 years to get to where they should be with Honda now.
I am sure they aren't going to beg Merc for an engine, RB will veto a Renault engine and they won't want a Ferrari engine...
They are completely stuffed. They have to work with Honda, it's there only chance.
I am sure they aren't going to beg Merc for an engine, RB will veto a Renault engine and they won't want a Ferrari engine...
They are completely stuffed. They have to work with Honda, it's there only chance.
You have to wonder if McLaren/Honda would be in this predicament if McLaren weren't the sole user.
Perhaps if they'd been allowed (I'm sure McLaren blocked it) to have a customer team supply development would have been better.
I think McLaren may have missed the boat for developing their own engine to the current regs.
Perhaps if they'd been allowed (I'm sure McLaren blocked it) to have a customer team supply development would have been better.
I think McLaren may have missed the boat for developing their own engine to the current regs.
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