[PapaofGags]

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/mclar...y/3169162/

McLaren F1 boss Zak Brown admits that James Key is unlikely to take up his role of technical director within this season as he is not interested in doing a deal with Red Bull to have the Englishman released early.

McLaren announced in July that Key would be joining the team, much to the frustration of Red Bull, who insisted that he had a contract with Toro Rosso.
The two parties had been talking about an early release for Key, but the announcement took Red Bull by surprise, and put a spanner in the works of the negotiations.
There have been suggestions that Red Bull might be willing to do a deal that would involve Lando Norris released by McLaren to drive for Toro Rosso next year, but the company's motorsport boss Helmut Marko says that it's simply a matter of money.

"We told McLaren what would solve the problem, and we didn't hear anything," Marko told Motorsport.com. "We are not in a hurry. It's financial – we don't mix things."
Brown confirmed that there were no ongoing discussions, and said he was not interested in the figure that Red Bull had suggested.
"We're in no dialogue with them," said Brown when asked by Motorsport.com. "They have named their terms. I'm not interested in the terms that they've put forward."
Brown admitted that he didn't know when Key would be free to start his new job.
"We have signed a contract with James, so he will be joining McLaren as technical director. We're still working through the timing of that. I think it's high unlikely that he will join us this season – and we don't have a specific start date yet."
Marko added that there is no need to include Norris in any deal because the Englishman will either have a McLaren race seat or be available anyway as of September 30th: "At the moment there's a clear situation. If they give him a drive by the end of September, he is fixed. If not he is free."

Brown confirmed the team is in talks with former McLaren and Ferrari man Pat Fry to return to the Woking camp.
"We are talking to a variety of people to strengthen our technical department. We've hired some people internally, that we've not really spoken about, and we'll have some other people joining the team that we'll speak about in due course."

[LotusLover]

http://www.espn.co.uk/f1/story/_/id/2457...g-director

Is this a good thing for McLaren?? I hope so

[Jody Barton]

LotusLover Pat Fry certainly has experience, and is the sort of person McLaren should be looking to employ, but he's no silver bullet to their current woes. I genuinely think there's a very long way to go before McLaren turn it around, mores the pity.

[LotusLover]

LotusLover Pat Fry certainly has experience, and is the sort of person McLaren should be looking to employ, but he's no silver bullet to their current woes. I genuinely think there's a very long way to go before McLaren turn it around, mores the pity.

Oh no doubt, but it’s start and at least they are not being static, I fully expect Zak Brown to move on in the near future!!!

[Jody Barton]

I think they'll give Zak until the end of 2019 and then reassess where the team is at, but with the 2021 rule changes the board can't afford to let him mess things up again, McLaren can't spend two or three seasons trying to find the right development direction, not again. If there's no marked operational improvement next year he'll be for the chop no question. This whole season has been a yolk and complete yolk... sorry, couldn't resist... but it has, it's been an orange gooey mess, an entire season of stalled development that told them no, you don't have the best Chassis, and the reliability issues may actually be down to your drive chain implementation team... whoops. No doubt Honda were cack, but the reliability issues have just got worse with Renault. It's been really grim.

[forzaferrari]

McLaren has pulled off a sponsorship coup in agreeing a partnership with Coca-Cola, which will result in the soft drink giant’s logos appearing on a Formula 1 car for the first time.

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/coca-...n/3197157/

[PapaofGags]

McLaren has pulled off a sponsorship coup in agreeing a partnership with Coca-Cola, which will result in the soft drink giant’s logos appearing on a Formula 1 car for the first time.

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/coca-...n/3197157/

         Brilliant!     

[PapaofGags]

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/mclar...l/4301317/

McLaren unveils special livery for Alonso's F1 farewell.

McLaren has unveiled a one-off livery that Fernando Alonso will use in this weekend's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, his last Formula 1 outing for the foreseeable future.

Alonso announced earlier this year he will not race in F1 next year, and the Spaniard will race in a special colour scheme to mark the occasion of his final race with McLaren.

The colours of his helmet - blue, yellow and red - have been incorporated into the Woking-based team's largely orange livery on the engine cover, along with a special 'FA' logo that can be seen in front of the cockpit and sidepods.

McLaren team boss Zak Brown commented: “We’re incredibly pleased and proud to be able to race a special one-off livery for Fernando in Abu Dhabi this weekend.

"We want his last grand prix to feel special in every way, and this was just one of the ways we could reflect that.
“We worked closely and collaboratively Fernando, and then with the FIA and Formula 1 to make the change for this one race, and they were all hugely supportive of the move.

“Hopefully, this will give Fernando’s fans a little something extra to look forward to at what is bound to be an especially emotional weekend.”

[PapaofGags]

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/mclar...m/4321736/

McLaren has appointed former Porsche WEC boss Andreas Seidl as the new managing director of its Formula 1 team.

The team said Seidl will join " during 2019".
He had been due to take a new role with overall control of motorsport at Porsche had he remained with the German manufacturer.

Speaking about his move to McLaren, Seidl said: "This is an enormous privilege and challenge, which I am ready for and committed to.

"To have an opportunity to contribute to the McLaren legacy is extremely special and inspiring.
"McLaren has the vision, leadership and experience but, most importantly, the people to return to the front, and that will be my absolute focus and mission."

Seidl will be placed in charge of McLaren's F1 operations, with CEO Brown feeling that he could not manage the grand prix team as well as McLaren's other extensive racing operations.

Reporting directly to Brown, Seidl will manage the three key heads of departments who will be charged with resurrecting McLaren's F1 fortunes.

Technical director James Key, who is set to join McLaren later this year, will be in charge of car design. Simon Roberts will have responsibility for car production and Paul James, chief mechanic, will lead operations at the track.

The appointment of Seidl will also allow sporting director Gil de Ferran more freedom to move into a role where he can help also oversee McLaren's wider racing activities – including its assault on this year's Indy 500 – rather than be devoted fully to F1.

[morini]

The appointment of Seidl will also allow sporting director Gil de Ferran more freedom to move into a role where he can help also oversee McLaren's wider racing activities – including its assault on this year's Indy 500 – rather than be devoted fully to F1.

See, now this is the part I don't like. This is what comes of letting an American head up a British F1 team. McLaren really could do without being distracted by irrelevant crap like the Indy 500. I mean, like who really GAF?