McLaren Mercedes has not had the best of years so far. So far they’ve only seen the podium twice. Mclaren rookie, Kevin Magnussen and teammate, Jenson Button, scored second and third places finishes at the opening round of Formula One in Australia earlier this year. Other than that, both drivers have had some lackluster finishes in the 2014 season. Kevin’s second best finish was seventh place in Austria, while Jenson’s was a fourth place finish in Canada.
Some people inside, and outside of McLaren have been quick to make Kevin Magnussen the scapegoat. McLaren Mercedes’ racing director, Eric Boullier, said that Kevin is currently dealing with “rookie syndrome”. According to Boullier, all of the feedback that the team is getting is truly helping the team along, but Jenson Button isn't so convinced. "Kevin is inexperienced, and although he is learning quickly, there is a still tenth or two [not] there from him not having as much information or experience as we should have."
Jenson is the most experienced F1 driver on the grid. Kevin is one of the least experienced F1 drivers on the grid. Of course, jenson has much more knowledge on racing, data, feedback, and media. While yes, kevin is new to all of this, he is no slouch.
McLaren’s average grid start is ninth, Kevin’s average race finish is eight, and Jenson’s is ninth. They’re currently sitting in sixth in the Constructors Championship. Jenson is eighth in the Drivers Standings, and Kevin is tenth. For the most part, the driver’s results are fairly even. The team is not its usual championship winning self, but it could definitely be doing much worse. There are so many reasons as to why they aren’t currently contending for the Constructors or Drivers Championship. One reason could be the chassis and its aerodynamic capabilities. The other could be their Mercedes power units just can’t compete with those of Mercedes AMG or Sahara Force India. The new 2014 regulations have thrown most teams for a loop, and McLaren Mercedes seems to be one of those teams. Quite possibly it’s just small mistakes from both drivers that are costing them points. Only McLaren knows.
So can Magunessen’s so-called “rookie syndrome” be to blame for McLaren’s poor season? I think not. You win as a team and you lose as a team. There are improvements that need to be made all around. You can’t throw the blame on one person’s shoulders.
The 2014 Formula One World Championship is far from over, the next round takes place July 4-6, at Silverstone Circuit, in the United Kingdom.
-Dallas Hollins
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Photo credit: Motorsport.com
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