McLaren – 2010 season preview

With the past two world champions at the team (both of them British, BTW), a radically-redesigned car, new-found enthusiasm and freedom from Mercedes, can Vodafone McLaren Mercedes (yes, you read that right) regain both championships this year?

No. Don’t be silly.

As much as I love McLaren and their seriously obsessive organizational obsession, they do have a magnificent history of cocking things up.

Take 2007 for example. Ron Dennis favours his favourite child, and full-of-himself Spanish guy throws a hissy fit. I don’t blame Ron, though, only wonder why he signed him in the first place. Oh yeah, and they don’t win either championship.

2008 was almost a washout too. They got rid of Ronnie, and things got a little better. Then they lied. Naughty McLaren.

The McLaren MP4-25 at a jaunty angle. Nice.

2010 looks to be much better, though. The new car looks slightly reminiscent of the Red Bull RB6 which was highly successful last year (hardly a coincidence, as all of them so far look like the RB6).

The only thing I’m worried about is that new driver they seem to have signed. Jenson Button is the current world champion, and I can’t help remembering the last time a current world champion lined up alongside Lewis Hamilton. Cough, cough.

The cover of Kaiser Chiefs' second single, "I Predict a Riot".

As the Kaiser Chiefs once said, I predict a riot. If McLaren don’t learn to control their drivers properly, they’ll eat into each others’ points and someone else will sneak through and win the world championship, someone like Schumacher, or… it kills me to think of it… A-alonso… Oh dear.

Despite what I said at the beginning, I do seriously think McLaren have a serious shot at both world championships this year – just as long as they don’t mess things up between their two drivers. And let Hamilton win. Please.