Team Preview: McLaren

2015 Drivers:

14: Fernando Alonso (2014 finish 6th 161 points)

22: Jenson Button (2014 finish 8th 126 points)

2014 Constructors' Championship 5th (181 points)

2015 chassis: McLaren MP4-30

McLaren has had a very difficult time the last two seasons without winning a race and having a total of two podiums over the two seasons which both came at the Australian Grand Prix last year. McLaren is looking to come off of this disappointment by entering a new era in which they are leaving engine manufacture Mercedes an switching to Honda engines which McLaren previously used in the days of Senna and Prost. On top of the engine switch for McLaren, they have brought back Fernando Alonso as a driver who had previously left the team after one disappointing season in 2007 to replace Kevin Magnussen.

After how Alonso left in 2007, I don't think anyone would have predicted that he would make a return to the team. However, after five years of not winning a title at Ferrari and his relationship with new management not going well, Alonso decided he needed a new challenge and McLaren-Honda seemed like the best bet.

A driver lineup of Alonso and Button is one of the stronger on the entire grid, and it will be interesting to see how the tow drivers fare against each other. Button has proven that hat he could be a match for Lewis Hamilton at times at McLaren outscoring him in points two out of three seasons. Button will now be looking to do the same against Alonso. If Button struggles against Alonso, McLaren may let him go at the end of the season as they could put Kevin Magnussen back in the car or they have Stoffel Vandoorme waiting in the wings.

McLaren is taking a risk switching to Honda engines  as Honda did not supply engines to any Formula 1 teams last year. Honda did not gain any track experience last year that Mercedes, Renault, and Ferrari did gain. Honda however is a strong engine manufacture and it would not be surprising to see them near the front of the grid fairly quickly.

During testing, McLaren has greatly struggled with reliability, struggling to get many laps in each day. This has caused them to not be able to learn as much about the car and the engine. This will make it a very difficult start of the season for the team. The times that McLaren did set were not near the top of the time sheets either but we do not know how much fuel they were running with.

Prediction: McLaren is probably the most difficult team to predict for the 2015 season but I expect by the middle of the season they will be near the front of the grid competing for podiums. I think McLaren will struggle to begin the season which will hurt them in the Constructors' standings despite coming on strong at the end. I expect McLaren to finish in fifth place at the end of the season but look for better things from them and Honda in the 2016 season.

How do you think McLaren will perform over the 2015 season? Do you think McLaren and Honda will get things right from the start or do you think the season will be a struggle for them? Please share in the comments section below