[Jody Barton]

Well the title says it all I think. Here's the official press release:

https://www.mclaren.com/racing/team/mcla...olet-2020/

So what do you guys think? Wise move or serious fuck up? Or somewhere in-between?

[NeilP]

Its a kind of reverse Haas situation!

I actually think its a good move it will certainly put the McLaren name out in front a very large American market which cannot hurt them from a brand perspective (Unless of course they turn out to be a disaster).

It will be interesting to see who the drivers will be. Would we expect Fernando Alonso to be one of them... I wonder.

My immediate concern would be are they a little thin on the management front. Obviously with Gil De Ferran they have someone who knows Indycar racing inside out.

I guess it would give some people a renewed interest in Indycar but I must confess I have not watched a race since the Nigel Mansell era! When you are a fan of F1 its hard to watch any other open wheel racing it just does not interest me. It is like watching Premier League football then going to the local park to watch a works team play soccer, sure it has a following but...no I just cannot deal with it!

[Jody Barton]

IndyCar actually provides some good racing, but it's as artificial as F1 in some respects, given the tyres don't so much as fall off a cliff as in dive headlong into a never ending abyss. I expect Alonso will be driving for them next season, my concerns are that they will spread themselves too thin, which is a possibility. Partnering with a team is interesting, and almost certainly relieves some of the pressure, but it's another diversion. Slightly interested in how precedent Chevrolet appear to be in the press release.

[NeilP]

IndyCar actually provides some good racing, but it's as artificial as F1 in some respects, given the tyres don't so much as fall off a cliff as in dive headlong into a never ending abyss. I expect Alonso will be driving for them next season, my concerns are that they will spread themselves too thin, which is a possibility. Partnering with a team is interesting, and almost certainly relieves some of the pressure, but it's another diversion. Slightly interested in how precedent Chevrolet appear to be in the press release.

I was tempted to suggest that maybe, just maybe Chevrolet and McLaren would look to develop an engine for McLarens F1 car but I think its too far fetched and would require a whole lot of money which I am sure Chevrolet would not want to invest especially as they have little or no idea of how the currrent F1 engines run with KERS and other energy recovery systems.

[morini]

Well the title says it all I think. Here's the official press release:

https://www.mclaren.com/racing/team/mcla...olet-2020/

So what do you guys think? Wise move or serious fuck up? Or somewhere in-between?

I reckon everyone knows my opinion on this one already. 

Would much rather McLaren focus on F1 and forget about any / all US series. I'll go further and say McLaren should sack fat Zak. We don't need an American heading up an F1 team with such a strong British heritage. Sorry if that sounds racist (I do not mean it that way), but it's just plain wrong having an American in that role.

Thems my feelings on the subject.

[Jody Barton]

When people say things like "I'm not racist but..." or "sorry if that sounds racist" I usually find that they are about to say something racist, and that they sure as hell aren't sorry. PMSL. It's OK though, I get it, I don't happen to mind that Zak is an American, hell Brucie boy was a Kiwi any way, and it's his team in my mind. My issue with Zak is that he is AMERICAN if you know what I mean, he's almost a walking stereotype... that and he's a shit CEO.

[morini]

When people say things like "I'm not racist but..." or "sorry if that sounds racist" I usually find that they are about to say something racist, and that they sure as hell aren't sorry. PMSL. It's OK though, I get it, I don't happen to mind that Zak is an American, hell Brucie boy was a Kiwi any way, and it's his team in my mind. My issue with Zak is that he is AMERICAN if you no what iean, he's almost a walking stereotype... that and he's a shit CEO.

I'll let the racist / not racist thing go now, not really worth the trouble here and perhaps I should have omitted that text from my post (but then some muppet would call it out as a racist comment in the stupid PC world we live in). What I said was not meant in that context at all, I think you already know that but if not, you can trust me it wasn't racist in the slightest. I don't think fat Zak is the right person to lead McLaren (and him being an American is a big part of it) but I will spin it a different way to try to illustrate my point. 

How about this? 

Do you think McLaren would be contemplating entering Indycar in 2020 if it were not for the fact that the CEO is an American? Would they be going down this road if Ron Dennis was still CEO?

I think the answer is “no” on both counts, but everyone has their own opinion.

[Jody Barton]

Morini, I actually agree with you, I was just taking the piss. I don't have a problem with him being an American, like you I have a problem with being a yehaw yankie doodle dandy American who doesn't seem to understand what McLaren or indeed F1 is. There are American's out there who do, I know them, but he's AN AMERICAN. I actually get what you mean.

[Monster Hesh]

I'm all for it, as long as there are sufficient resources, that it doesnt detract from F1. That those who are collaborating with bring really support the campaign, allowing McLaren to contest at the front. It was hard watching their Indy 500 venture this year, really dont want a repeat of that.

In honesty i would liked to see them follow Mercedes suit and start gearing up for Formula E. Like it or not, in 10-20 years should the world not be on fire, it could be the biggest motorsport. Get in early, get the foundations and take the fight to Merc, DS, and Audi.

[PapaofGags]

I'm all for it, as long as there are sufficient resources, that it doesnt detract from F1. That those who are collaborating with bring really support the campaign, allowing McLaren to contest at the front. It was hard watching their Indy 500 venture this year, really dont want a repeat of that.

In honesty i would liked to see them follow Mercedes suit and start gearing up for Formula E. Like it or not, in 10-20 years should the world not be on fire, it could be the biggest motorsport. Get in early, get the foundations and take the fight to Merc, DS, and Audi.

  I was going to post but Hesh has pretty much nailed it, I feel the same.