Disaster for McLaren
A race which promised so much delivered so little for McLaren. Qualifying was a step forward, but an underwhelming one. Thirteenth and 14th is hardly a sign of meaningful progress.
But the race was an unmitigated disaster. Running down the order for the first half of the race, Fernando Alonso eventually retired with a brake problem (he was lucky not to wipe the mechanics when he came into the pits). And Jenson Button suffered from a throttle issue which kept him from challenging for points.
McLaren malfunction: Jenson Button suffered a throttle problem
With his race over, Alonso said: “We are a long way off and we need to make double steps because everyone else is improving. This is a very challenging project, but I’m happy that we’re recovering well and we need to keep it up.”
Whatever the team say, this is a massive disappointment. At the race where teams bring major upgrades to their cars – which for McLaren included some lighter pain – they showed little indication that big strides towards the front are simply a matter of time. They face a long season ahead.
Maldonado at it again
Amid uncertain times for Formula One, there is one thing you can rely on: a Pastor Maldonado blunder. Somehow, when overtaking another car, he managed to run wide, run over the speed bumps and break his rear wing in the process.
Broken wing: Pastor Maldonado made his usual blunder
The Venezuelan soldiered on, passing the odd car here and there, before retiring 20 laps from the end. When will he learn?
Hamilton and Mercedes impasse continues
It is all very well trotting out the line that Hamilton’s contract talks are hunky dory. But after two months of being in the “final stages” of negotiations, it is hard not to reach the conclusion that something is amiss.
Of course, at a corporate giant like Mercedes, the lucrative deal will have to go right to the top. Yet the fact they have clearly not yet approved it indicates there is some sort of disagreement. Team principals experienced in negotiating contracts say when there is agreement it can take as little as a few days.
Demands: Lewis Hamilton’s contract talks are not progressing
Hamilton is thought to be asking for his championship-winning car as well as being able to keep his trophies – not to mention an eye-watering salary of 50 million euros (£36 million in current money) which is one part of the hold-up. Niki Lauda, the Mercedes F1 chairman, said in the Austrian press he expects an announcement before the next race in Monaco. If there isn’t, the speculation will grow further still.
The drivers need an injection of personality
In the Thursday press conference, there was one (admittedly dippy) question asking the five drivers how they would describe themselves in three words. Granted, this is not an easy task. But none of those present even attempted to properly engage with it. “I can’t answer that,” Fernando Alonso said first. All four others followed and said, basically: “Same for me.”
The fact that they did not even have a stab at saying something (it could have been something ridiculous like, “talented, attractive, and modest”) sums up part of the problem facing the sport. They are not always easy characters to sell.
For the record, I would not include Lewis Hamilton and perhaps Daniel Ricciardo in this bracket. Hamilton is a walking story even if he doesn’t say anything, and Ricciardo is generally quite an amusing chap. But the rest could learn a lesson from them.