Swings and roundabouts:
with Murray Walker.
F1 Racing June 1999.

What a difference a year makes! Twelve months ago McLaren were on a seemingly unstoppable roll, having won three
of the first four races. In dominant form, they were then to finish first and second in Spain and go on to sew up both more-than-well deserved titles. At the start of 1999, their all-new car looked likely to do the same - but not any more. The Ferrari one-two at Monaco was a whitewash and, with more than double McLaren's points, Maranello are at last looking good for the double whammy they have striven so many years for.

Yes it's early days, and yes, there are still 12 races to go, but if McLaren are to make it two in a row they must recover quickly in Barcelona. Speed they've got plenty of. Reliability is what they need, with both Hakkinen and Coulthard yet to finish in the same race this season. Monte Carlo is always a car-breaker and it certainly didn't surprise me to see so few go the full race distance. Barcelona should be a lot better from that point of view but, as a non-technical man, I have to wonder how soon, with races every two weeks, McLaren will be able to massage what seems to be their Achilles heel - that sophisticated gearbox.

Whatever, I optimistically expect the up-coming races to see more of an ebb and flow between Maranello and Woking. The McLaren's slipperiness, for instance, should be a benefit in Spain, compared to the high-downforce demands of Monaco. As an aside, isn't it great to see Jordan going so well? Frentzen's achievements with the Buzzin' Hornets have been superb. If Damon can start matching them, McLaren could have more than Ferrari to worry about!

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