Martin Whitmarsh leaves McLaren
Discussion
entropy said:
While you simpletons are at it, might as well slag off Adrian Newey's 2 WDCs whilst at McLaren so it must mean he's massively over rated
Are you talking in relation to Whitmarsh and saying people are short sighted criticising him because of the two championships Newey helped engineer?Crafty_ said:
Regardless, what no-one ever mentions is that Michael took control of the pit crew training and set a practice/training programme up. Those same pit crews made the fastest pit stops of the year.
That was the problem- they were being all aren't-we-all-that about setting pit-stop records when every other race they'd funk one up and lose a wheel or something which in itself probably cost them titles. And it happened again and again and again with monotonous regularity, like no-one seized on it and and said "hey guy's we're focussing on the wrong thing here."Europa1 said:
I do think Martin Whitmarsh gave McLaren a much more human, likeable persona. And he spoke English to the media, not Ronspeak.
Yes, agreed. I for one will miss his contribution. Now he's gone, who they gonna blame?
Some say Alonso may drive for McLaren soon.
Are you listening big Ron? Muhahahahahhhhhahhhhahhhahaha.
Bring it on ...
MGJohn said:
Yes, agreed. I for one will miss his contribution.
Now he's gone, who they gonna blame?
Some say Alonso may drive for McLaren soon.
Are you listening big Ron? Muhahahahahhhhhahhhhahhhahaha.
Bring it on ...
And for all those who say he spent too much time looking at other teams/sorting out Honda/Brawn, let's not forget that at the time the sport was facing massive challenges in the face of worldwide recession, and could ill afford to lose a team (especially as Toyota did withdraw at the end of 2009). Refreshing to see a guy with a grasp of the bigger picture. Whether it should have been his role or he was picking up a ball that others from outside the teams had dropped (and arguably still haven't picked up) is the subject for a whole new thread...Now he's gone, who they gonna blame?
Some say Alonso may drive for McLaren soon.
Are you listening big Ron? Muhahahahahhhhhahhhhahhhahaha.
Bring it on ...
I think Whitmarsh was treated rather badly and Ron is in for a shock if he thinks chopping off the management and throwing in Alonso or Vettel will suddenly turn the team around.
Mclaren have been f*cking up for years, in the late 90s and early 2000s they often had the best car but continually failed due to poor reliability or strategy and now in the last few years they can't even make a decent car. It is going to take a total shift in organisational culture to turn that team around - a painful Williams like journey.
Mclaren have been f*cking up for years, in the late 90s and early 2000s they often had the best car but continually failed due to poor reliability or strategy and now in the last few years they can't even make a decent car. It is going to take a total shift in organisational culture to turn that team around - a painful Williams like journey.
In the final analysis, there are twenty two cars and drivers and around eleven teams participating in each event.
Whichever way you look at it, that means twenty one also ran losing WDC drivers and ten losing teams in the WCC.
I do hope the "sack the manager and win" mindset so prevalent in another sport does not become established in F1.
Whichever way you look at it, that means twenty one also ran losing WDC drivers and ten losing teams in the WCC.
I do hope the "sack the manager and win" mindset so prevalent in another sport does not become established in F1.
MGJohn said:
In the final analysis, there are twenty two cars and drivers and around eleven teams participating in each event.
Whichever way you look at it, that means twenty one also ran losing WDC drivers and ten losing teams in the WCC.
I do hope the "sack the manager and win" mindset so prevalent in another sport does not become established in F1.
I agreeWhichever way you look at it, that means twenty one also ran losing WDC drivers and ten losing teams in the WCC.
I do hope the "sack the manager and win" mindset so prevalent in another sport does not become established in F1.
You have Mercedes with huge investment, McLaren with huge investment, Ferrari and Red Bull likewise.
Running these teams with aspirations to win is not cheap and everyone except one team and driver is disappointed each year.
I for one am a little sad at Whitmarsh's demise. Like Domenicali at Ferrari, he brought some humanity to the team rather than the somewhat ruthless, cold predecessor.
Perhaps this lack of ruthlessness was their downfall.
I do like Ron aswell however. I think that deep down, he has a good sense of humour (evidenced by the Senna/Berger days)
I thought Whitmarsh presented himself well but I really don't think he ran a tight enough ship. Once things have slipped and a less professional culture is established it's very hard to fix (not necessarily blaming Whitmarsh for McL demise but I certainly think he contributed to it). Takes huge effort to turn around the kind of negative momentum they've had over the last few years. I don't think RD trying to do what he did 25 years ago is necessarily the answer either.
Under Whitmarsh the team failed to perform and went from championship contenders to mid-table fodder. They're was no evidence he was turning things around, the opposite being more in evidence. It was therefore inevitable he was removed.
Being nice, personable or less robotic than Ron Dennis are all good human qualities, although not requisite in leading an F1 team.
Being nice, personable or less robotic than Ron Dennis are all good human qualities, although not requisite in leading an F1 team.
Muzzer79 said:
MGJohn said:
In the final analysis, there are twenty two cars and drivers and around eleven teams participating in each event.
Whichever way you look at it, that means twenty one also ran losing WDC drivers and ten losing teams in the WCC.
I do hope the "sack the manager and win" mindset so prevalent in another sport does not become established in F1.
I agreeWhichever way you look at it, that means twenty one also ran losing WDC drivers and ten losing teams in the WCC.
I do hope the "sack the manager and win" mindset so prevalent in another sport does not become established in F1.
You have Mercedes with huge investment, McLaren with huge investment, Ferrari and Red Bull likewise.
Running these teams with aspirations to win is not cheap and everyone except one team and driver is disappointed each year.
I for one am a little sad at Whitmarsh's demise. Like Domenicali at Ferrari, he brought some humanity to the team rather than the somewhat ruthless, cold predecessor.
Perhaps this lack of ruthlessness was their downfall.
I do like Ron aswell however. I think that deep down, he has a good sense of humour (evidenced by the Senna/Berger days)
I've spoken with Dennis a couple of times away from F1 and he was very approachable, exceptionally friendly and seems to be a nice bloke. He doesn't come over well on TV. He gave a chat at the F1 Paddock Club and he seemed if anything rather shy.
I'm sorry to see Martin go.
I do wonder if Honda made the requirement.
Derek Smith said:
I liked the bloke - like the bloke in fact. I thought his post race comments were always worth listening to. I saw him at a talk once and unlike some of the others on the top table he answered quickly and normally the question.
I've spoken with Dennis a couple of times away from F1 and he was very approachable, exceptionally friendly and seems to be a nice bloke. He doesn't come over well on TV. He gave a chat at the F1 Paddock Club and he seemed if anything rather shy.
How dare you speak from a position of personal experience, Derek! Don't you know that there are armchair experts with immeasurably greater worth to their opinions? I've spoken with Dennis a couple of times away from F1 and he was very approachable, exceptionally friendly and seems to be a nice bloke. He doesn't come over well on TV. He gave a chat at the F1 Paddock Club and he seemed if anything rather shy.
JonRB said:
How dare you speak from a position of personal experience, Derek! Don't you know that there are armchair experts with immeasurably greater worth to their opinions?
The only point I'd challenge you on is that Derek is saying he was a nice bloke but how nice he was isn't relevant to his ability and delivery.He had presided over an ongoing decline. Having said that, I'm not convinced they are currently any better off. All eggs in the Honda basket but they have a good power unit now. The team need some better leadership;
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