It has been announced yesterday evening that the McLaren Formula 1 team says it will not decide its 2015 driver line-up until next month at the earliest.
It has been heavily speculated that Fernando Alonso will be to return to the team for the start of its new Honda era, but that McLaren is unwilling to make an announcement until it has chosen which of its existing drivers Jenson Button and Kevin Magnussen stays on as the double F1 champion’s team-mate.
McLaren issued statement last night stated that it did not want the topic of its 2015 drivers to interfere with this weekend’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix season finale. The McLaren’s team statement is as follows:-
‘Selecting the optimal driver line-up for a Formula 1 team is clearly an important process, and it is therefore one that requires precise and prolonged analysis.
‘That being the case, and in order to avoid distracting the race team from its primary objective during the final grand prix weekend of the season, which is to secure the best possible on-track results, we have decided to defer our final deliberations relating to our 2015 driver line-up until a date no earlier than Monday December 1.’
Also McLaren confirmed last night that it will bring “a range of aerodynamic upgrades” to Abu Dhabi as part of its development programme for both its current car and 2015.
The MP4-29H/1X1 took to the track for the first time on a filming day with test driver Oliver Turvey at Silverstone last Friday. McLaren also revealed that it will run its Honda-powered interim car again in the test sessions that follow the Abu Dhabi race, “subject to satisfactory final bench-testing.”
Overall, there has been no denying that McLaren during the season has stated that they would look into “very viable option” for their driver line up for the 2015 season and you can understand why that is the case due to the fact that the team always have aimed to get the strongest and potentially successful driver line up in their cars during their time in the sport.
However, I do understand why they have delayed their decision until after the season is over but I am as a McLaren fan not happy about this. The reason why I am not happy is due to the fact that they must know their options and which drivers are available right now to join the McLaren for the 2015 season and also for future seasons.
I do firmly believe like a few other pundits and fans that McLaren know who their drivers will be and cannot announce it for a number of reasons. The first reason being that McLaren are waiting for things to be contractually finalised with either one or both drivers. The second reason could be making sure that which line up they have secured for 2015 doesn’t hinder one or both of their current drivers that are within the team chances of securing another drive in the sport or another form of motorsport or the fact that McLaren just cannot make their mind up and haven’t decided their driver line up and this is a case I do not see happening.
When the McLaren team announced this news on Twitter last night, many pundits and fans reaction was of shock and disbelief. Many pundits and fans replied back to the McLaren team that they felt this was unjust to both Jenson and Kevin especially if the case that Button is not to remain with the team for next season and will not get the send off he absolutely deserves after fifteen years in the sport that he has loyally served.
Even though Alonso could be heading back to the team for 2015, I do feel that it would be stupid to get rid of Button and Magnussen as I feel both deserve to be there for at least another season. Button has connections with Honda which could prove beneficial and could very handy as McLaren and Honda settle back into partnership with each other once again.
And I would agree with the majority of fans who are not happy with McLaren’s decision to delay announcing their drivers until December but I understand why they have done so. But at the end of the day, there is nothing we can do about it apart from waiting and seeing on the 1st December who McLaren have selected for 2015 to drive for them and I really hope McLaren announce Button and Magnussen for 2015, I really do.
