The Technical Partnerships Thread

[MKSixer]

As Formula One has transitioned from one form to the next over the past 70+ years, we've seen major manufactures come and go as well as privateer teams do the same. In fact we've seen both holy and un-holy alliances begin, develop and either explode scale the heights of success.

Two of the most critical transitions have been from a pretty amateurish circus to commercial professionalism by Bernie Ecclestone, the Poison Dwarf and operational professionalism by Darth Ron Dennis. More than any other two people, they have had an impact on how the sport and the teams operate on a day to day basis. Watching F1 is pretty easy now thanks to Bernie and when you visit a spotless F1 garage, thank Ron Dennis.

2014 has brought us the 2nd major shift: The Turbo Hybrid Era. These engines...excuse me, power units are so complex that the most successful team across all global motorsports, Honda, produced a woefully inadequate product that almost sunk McLaren as an organization and is only now coming into its own, operationally. This complexity has put developing Power Units out of the hands of nearly everyone. With the exception of Cosworth and a rumored PU from Porsche, no one besides Ferrari, Alpine (Renault), Honda, and Mercedes have even attempted the Herculean task with Mercedes being the class of the field.

That brings me to this: Technical Partnerships. Currently we have the following:

Mercedes Werkes Team:
McLaren - Power Unit
tRacing Point, er, Aston Martin - Power Unit and a high level of technical coordination.
Williams - Power Unit until 2020 and now a high level of technical coordination.

Scuderia Ferrari:
Haas - Power Unit and the highest level of technical coordination of all teams and the bench mark for integration.
Sauber, er, Alfa Romeo - Power Unit and a very high level of technical coordination.

Honda PU Only:
Red Bull Racing - Power Unit and a very high level of technical coordination.
Alpha Tauri - Power Unit and a very high level of technical coordination.

Renault, um, Alpine:
What do you mean no one wants our engine?!?!!

What do you think about these relationships, which has been the most successful and what do you see for the future?

Discuss!!

[racerbruce]

Well done MK!
Great thread and great premise to the discussion.

I see the future chronology as tiered, based upon the micro and macro of F1:

Micro:
-FIA Sporting Regulations influence
-F1 R&D (arguably some of the best and brightest developers/engineers/manufacturers)

Macro:
-Environmental influence (fossil fuel ban)
-Emerging technologies (EV/Photovoltaic/Solar/Hydrocarbon)
-Consumer demand (influencing all of the above)

[MKSixer]

Originally Posted by racerbruce

Well done MK!
Great thread and great premise to the discussion.

I see the future chronology as tiered, based upon the micro and macro of F1:

Micro:
-FIA Sporting Regulations influence
-F1 R&D (arguably some of the best and brightest developers/engineers/manufacturers)

Macro:
-Environmental influence (fossil fuel ban)
-Emerging technologies (EV/Photovoltaic/Solar/Hydrocarbon)
-Consumer demand (influencing all of the above)

Thanks, my friend!!

Great suggestions and I like the way you bifurcated your selections into logical categories!!

Good stuff!!

[Ngilbe36]

Ill propose a topic.
It has been shown that a PU customer team can beat out the PU development team, (McLaren/Renault) this year.
Can it be done against Merc, or are they just too proficient in all areas to compete against in their current state?

[MKSixer]

Originally Posted by Ngilbe36

Ill propose a topic.
It has been shown that a PU customer team can beat out the PU development team, (McLaren/Renault) this year.
Can it be done against Merc, or are they just too proficient in all areas to compete against in their current state?

Good morning!

I think that if anyone can do it, McLaren is the best organization to bet on. After all, they beat Mercedes until 7ewis joined the team in 2013. At that point, Mercedes went from 5th in 2012 to 2nd in 2013 and the rest is history.

[Ngilbe36]

I agree. I also believe McLaren's driver line-up is almost as strong as Merc's. RIC being a top 3 driver in my opinion and Norris being at least on par with Bottas.

[MKSixer]

Originally Posted by Ngilbe36

I agree. I also believe McLaren's driver line-up is almost as strong as Merc's. RIC being a top 3 driver in my opinion and Norris being at least on par with Bottas.

I fully agree with all points here.

[racerbruce]

Originally Posted by MKSixer

Good morning!

I think that if anyone can do it, McLaren is the best organization to bet on. After all, they beat Mercedes until 7ewis joined the team in 2013. At that point, Mercedes went from 5th in 2012 to 2nd in 2013 and the rest is history.

Greetings MK -
Why....does what you're saying imply that the F1 pilot actually has an influence on the race result??

[MKSixer]

Originally Posted by racerbruce

Greetings MK -
Why....does what you're saying imply that the F1 pilot actually has an influence on the race result??

I'm not sure but history tells me that McLaren hasn't had a pole position or race win since Sir 7ewis left.

[dbarton62]

[MKSixer]

Originally Posted by dbarton62

I sense a them forming but I can't quite put my finger on it.

racerbruce, perhaps you can help us...

[SenorFunkyPants]

Originally Posted by Ngilbe36

I agree. I also believe McLaren's driver line-up is almost as strong as Merc's. RIC being a top 3 driver in my opinion and Norris being at least on par with Bottas.

I'd love to see Daniel in the Mercedes...I think he would give Lewis quite a scare...I think there wouldn't be that much between them.

[racerbruce]

Originally Posted by MKSixer

I sense a them forming but I can't quite put my finger on it.

racerbruce, perhaps you can help us...

Hmmmmmmm....
Seven "m's"
Seven WDC's

Why, this does appear to be a pattern-pattern-pattern-pattern-pattern-pattern-pattern

[MKSixer]

Originally Posted by SenorFunkyPants

I'd love to see Daniel in the Mercedes...I think he would give Lewis quite a scare...I think there wouldn't be that much between them.

Agreed. I rate Daniel VERY high and believe that while Sir 7ewis would prevail over a season, I see it being a nip and tuck situation.

[MKSixer]

Originally Posted by racerbruce

Hmmmmmmm....
Seven "m's"
Seven WDC's

Why, this does appear to be a pattern-pattern-pattern-pattern-pattern-pattern-pattern

Something definitely seems to be afoot...