Martin Whitmarsh?
Author
Discussion

Finlandese

Original Poster:

630 posts

204 months

Monday 25th February 2013
quotequote all
IIRC, quite a few senior personel have left McLaren during the Whitmarsh reign, with little big name traffic to the other direction. How is he doing, and how much longer will he be given to produce results?

Heff

190 posts

182 months

Monday 25th February 2013
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revrange

1,182 posts

213 months

Monday 25th February 2013
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Depends on results, don't think he would be sacked as it were if the season starts badly but maybe moved upstairs?

Rude-boy

22,227 posts

262 months

Monday 25th February 2013
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I don't think that he will be going anywhere soon.

Mermaid

21,492 posts

200 months

Monday 25th February 2013
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Was he buddies with Hamilton?

Life Saab Itch

37,069 posts

217 months

Monday 25th February 2013
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Whitmarsh is a McLaren Lifer. /speculation.

rdjohn

7,153 posts

224 months

Monday 25th February 2013
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MW is Ron's "Yes" man - who else would want him?

2fast748

1,271 posts

224 months

Tuesday 26th February 2013
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Let's face it, Adrian Newey left under Ron's watch so whatever Whitmarsh does is insignificant compared to that.

TheArchitect

1,238 posts

208 months

Tuesday 26th February 2013
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rdjohn said:
MW is Ron's "Yes" man - who else would want him?
This is what concerns me, I like the guy but I cant decide if he is his own person. I know in the past he has highlighted he is very different in his approach to the sport compared to Ron.

Although to be honest all the Team Principles seem like PR drones now also.

Life Saab Itch

37,069 posts

217 months

Tuesday 26th February 2013
quotequote all
TheArchitect said:
rdjohn said:
MW is Ron's "Yes" man - who else would want him?
This is what concerns me, I like the guy but I cant decide if he is his own person. I know in the past he has highlighted he is very different in his approach to the sport compared to Ron.

Although to be honest all the Team Principles seem like PR drones now also.
The fact that he brought Button in off his own back and had to argue ron around should tell you all you need to know.

He wasn't a popular internal choice when he first came in, but change happens and he is very much a part of McLaren and probably always will be.

rubystone

11,254 posts

288 months

Tuesday 26th February 2013
quotequote all
Life Saab Itch said:
TheArchitect said:
rdjohn said:
MW is Ron's "Yes" man - who else would want him?
This is what concerns me, I like the guy but I cant decide if he is his own person. I know in the past he has highlighted he is very different in his approach to the sport compared to Ron.

Although to be honest all the Team Principles seem like PR drones now also.
The fact that he brought Button in off his own back and had to argue ron around should tell you all you need to know.

He wasn't a popular internal choice when he first came in, but change happens and he is very much a part of McLaren and probably always will be.
You must have a mole there...'cos you are spot on....

Life Saab Itch

37,069 posts

217 months

Wednesday 27th February 2013
quotequote all
rubystone said:
Life Saab Itch said:
TheArchitect said:
rdjohn said:
MW is Ron's "Yes" man - who else would want him?
This is what concerns me, I like the guy but I cant decide if he is his own person. I know in the past he has highlighted he is very different in his approach to the sport compared to Ron.

Although to be honest all the Team Principles seem like PR drones now also.
The fact that he brought Button in off his own back and had to argue ron around should tell you all you need to know.

He wasn't a popular internal choice when he first came in, but change happens and he is very much a part of McLaren and probably always will be.
You must have a mole there...'cos you are spot on....
Indeed.

Spudmaster

351 posts

234 months

Monday 18th March 2013
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Before anybody starts, I am a major fan of JB; and a huge admirer of McLaren- the business & the team. But let's look at the facts under MW's leadership:-

Lost child prodigy / talented driver to competitor with an inferior car for 2013. First race LH beats both McLaren's in all areas.
Lost Technical Director to same team.
Lost numerous points (and possibly championship) to poor teamwork & stratetegic decisions in 2012.
Lost title sponsor for 2014.
Only top team to decide to develop totally new car for 2013- despite having one of the quicker 2012 cars and no rule changes for 2013.... Poor judgement!

The very fact that Mr. Button of all people being publicly demoralised for the cameras speaks volumes to me. Things clearly aren't good within that team... Surely in the modern F1 world, Heads will roll- and surely MW must be top of that list?

I reckon it might be a good opportunity for Uncle Ron to have a chat with Mr Brawn...?


jammy_basturd

29,778 posts

241 months

Monday 18th March 2013
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Things don't seem to have gone great under his stewardship.

Seems they start off on the back foot every single season now.

Finlandese

Original Poster:

630 posts

204 months

RealSquirrels

11,327 posts

221 months

Monday 18th March 2013
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mr. button was publically demoralised a lot of the time last year too.

airportparking

1,314 posts

191 months

Monday 18th March 2013
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Poor stragey call this weekend, and now there is even talk of going back to last years car, thing is I can understand that they will catch up and develop, but if they are losing points in the mean time what's the point, finishing the year with a fast car is a bit pointless isn't it? I mean its to late by then!

RealSquirrels

11,327 posts

221 months

Monday 18th March 2013
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the problem for mclaren is they are starting to look a bit like Williams in 1998/99

they've lost key personnel, their main sponsor is on the way out, their engine supplier is leaving, their competitiveness is waning...

and we all know what happened to williams.

MrKipling43

5,788 posts

245 months

Monday 18th March 2013
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And under Ron Dennis McLaren:

'Lost' the man who has designed the car that has won both the constructors' and drivers' titles for the last three years and will probably win them both again this year.

'Lost' the man considered to be the world's greatest ever driver to Williams.

When he stepped down in 2009 McLaren hadn't won a constructors title in 10 years.

What's your point?

RealSquirrels

11,327 posts

221 months

Monday 18th March 2013
quotequote all
well it wasn't all at once, was it?

My point is that Mclaren have to manage this season well, or they might begin to slip further. Competitive teams arise from the right combination of people, time and place... they have rises and falls, McLaren have been a top team but they were not always, the same is true of Ferrari and Red Bull, and of course Williams. Oh, and Lotus.

When a known good solution (driver, engine supplier, designer) leaves you have to find a replacement... doing so is not without risk, you could pick the wrong person.

furthermore one suspects the less competitive your team the easier it is for other teams to lure people away with the promise of glory/filthy lucre.