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McLaren: Lack of stability has created decline

McLaren: "Lack of stability has created decline"

22-11-2018 18:43
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Nicolás Quarles van Ufford

McLaren CEO Zak Brown has revealed that the lack of stability at the team has caused its decline, but the American also insists that the road to recovery at the Woking-based team has been started.

The papaya-orange cars represent one of the most successful teams of all time, but those days look like an eternity ago. In 2017, the team finished as far down as ninth with only Sauber scoring fewer points. Their poisonous relationship with engine partner was very public, with McLaren and its employees heaping on the criticism to the Japanese manufacturers as their power-units kept breaking down.

This year, McLaren have been powered by Renault, but things haven't gotten much better. Yes, they are sixth in the standings, but only because Force India were stripped from all points halfway through the season and because Williams are a dumpster fire this season. Even with Renault engines in the back, McLaren can't come out of Q1 in recent months, and points finishes are very scarce.

Brown isn't afraid to point out what's gone wrong for them.

“We have been immensely frustrated,” he conceded in an interview with The Guardian.

“As a team we are frustrated, disappointed. We have been angry because we all want to win.

“McLaren has been in a state of constant transition for the last five years. That lack of stability has created the decline.”

The American's mission is to turn the tide at the 12-time drivers' championship-winning team. He thinks that honesty will be key during this recovery.

“We have a clear structure, goals, everyone is working unbelievably hard and we are not going to make the mistakes we made before."

“Not lying but a lack of being honest with yourself [is what went wrong].

“No one wanted to tackle the issues or own the issues. Too many grey areas, too many cooks. Now there is a real honesty amongst all of us, and collaboration and teamwork going that we have to pull though this. We are working really well together.”