Ron Dennis on his way out? (Again....)
Ron Dennis on his way out? (Again....)
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MrKipling43

Original Poster:

5,788 posts

245 months

Wednesday 16th January 2008
quotequote all
I know this crops up periodically, but I've also heard this from some rather reliable 'internal sources' too...

http://www.worldcarfans.com/9080116.010/mercedes-s...

A great, great shame.

The comment, "Mercedes want to have more control over the British team to eradicate errors made during the drivers title run" really made my blood boil! The arrogance of it - the assumption that a manufacturer who, if memory serves, haven't won a great deal with a works team for a very long time in motor racing would do a better job of running an F1 team than Ron Dennis borders on hilarious.

Perhaps someone needs to have a word in the ear of some of the Merc Chiefs to just say "don't forget what happened to Honda..."

7 Sevens

658 posts

250 months

Wednesday 16th January 2008
quotequote all
Whenever this comes up I wonder what Norbet Haug actually does sitting on the pit wall. As Mercedes motorsport chief you would think he would have sufficient input into the decisions.

npope

564 posts

231 months

Wednesday 16th January 2008
quotequote all
As much as I dont like Ron I hope Merc do not take over, I think they cheat more than anyone if DTM is anything to go by. Merc cheated so much in one race this year Audi pulled all there cars out before the end of the race.

SamHH

5,078 posts

245 months

Wednesday 16th January 2008
quotequote all
I don't have sufficient information to know whether McLaren would make fewer errors, or would otherwise be a better team if Mercedes had greater control. I suspect very few people, even those within McLaren and Mercedes, do.

BMW Sauber is an example of how it might be possible though.

belleair302

7,008 posts

236 months

Wednesday 16th January 2008
quotequote all
There is a 'binding trust' agreement between Ron and Mansour Ojjeh regarding selling of shares, both must sell the same amount to the same company....and M-B or the other investors within the group will have to pay a serious amount to get any more of the company. Ron will go when he wins another World Championship or two, so I would not expect hime to vanish within the next two or so years....after that anything is possible. Just look at what is going on at Williams at the moment reagrding selling the business!!!

flemke

23,481 posts

266 months

Wednesday 16th January 2008
quotequote all
npope said:
As much as I dont like Ron I hope Merc do not take over, I think they cheat more than anyone if DTM is anything to go by. Merc cheated so much in one race this year Audi pulled all there cars out before the end of the race.
True story from a few years ago:

In DTM, an independent team with a one year-old car, run by a very smart guy, was steadily closing the gap on the factory team as the year progressed.
Finally there came a race where the indy posted a faster time in pre-qual practice than any of the factory cars did.
Independent car pulls back into the pit garage, driver and team give each other high-fives and contemplate qualifying strategy.
A few minutes later an engine guy from the factory shows up, carrying a laptop.
He plugs the laptop into the independent car, presses a few buttons, and retards the timing by several degrees.
Independent owner: "What are you doing?"
FActory engineer: "Sorry, but it's the boss's orders. We cannot have an independent in a year-old car going faster than the factory cars. Goodbye."

MrKipling43

Original Poster:

5,788 posts

245 months

Wednesday 16th January 2008
quotequote all
flemke said:
npope said:
As much as I dont like Ron I hope Merc do not take over, I think they cheat more than anyone if DTM is anything to go by. Merc cheated so much in one race this year Audi pulled all there cars out before the end of the race.
True story from a few years ago:

In DTM, an independent team with a one year-old car, run by a very smart guy, was steadily closing the gap on the factory team as the year progressed.
Finally there came a race where the indy posted a faster time in pre-qual practice than any of the factory cars did.
Independent car pulls back into the pit garage, driver and team give each other high-fives and contemplate qualifying strategy.
A few minutes later an engine guy from the factory shows up, carrying a laptop.
He plugs the laptop into the independent car, presses a few buttons, and retards the timing by several degrees.
Independent owner: "What are you doing?"
FActory engineer: "Sorry, but it's the boss's orders. We cannot have an independent in a year-old car going faster than the factory cars. Goodbye."
That is, for want of a stronger word, boocks.

(not the story, the situation)

JulesV

1,801 posts

253 months

Wednesday 16th January 2008
quotequote all
belleair302 said:
...... Just look at what is going on at Williams at the moment reagrding selling the business!!!
confused

belleair302

7,008 posts

236 months

coetzeeh

2,889 posts

265 months

Thursday 17th January 2008
quotequote all
belleair302 said:
If this happens, then we have another shaister joining the F1 ranks - Johannson is the subject of a huge fraud investigation in his home country, under arrest for a while too.

rubystone

11,254 posts

288 months

Thursday 17th January 2008
quotequote all
npope said:
As much as I dont like Ron I hope Merc do not take over, I think they cheat more than anyone if DTM is anything to go by. Merc cheated so much in one race this year Audi pulled all there cars out before the end of the race.
??? From what I know, there was no cheating by Mercedes - their drivers engaged in a bit of door banging - Audi's did the same in an earlier race too - I could probably dig out a bit more but in essence it was just a bit of "rubbin"

As to Flemke's comments - which team was responsible for that then?

flemke

23,481 posts

266 months

Thursday 17th January 2008
quotequote all
coetzeeh said:
belleair302 said:
If this happens, then we have another shaister joining the F1 ranks - Johannson is the subject of a huge fraud investigation in his home country, under arrest for a while too.
I know nothing more than what we've all read in the media, but the fact that Baugur were going to be the funding behind Prodrive, but then Prodrive could not continue because they were blocked by Williams, and now Williams - surprise, surprise! - are looking to get the slug of money from Baugur that had been intended for Prodrive seems more than a little bit dubious.

flemke

23,481 posts

266 months

Thursday 17th January 2008
quotequote all
rubystone said:
As to Flemke's comments - which team was responsible for that then?
The independent? I'd rather not say; which team was involved makes no difference - except to the team involved.
All I can tell you is that it did happen, in the present decade.

rubystone

11,254 posts

288 months

Thursday 17th January 2008
quotequote all
flemke said:
rubystone said:
As to Flemke's comments - which team was responsible for that then?
The independent? I'd rather not say; which team was involved makes no difference - except to the team involved.
All I can tell you is that it did happen, in the present decade.
No problems - I'll have a dig around for my own edification smile I was interested in who supplied the engine....

coetzeeh

2,889 posts

265 months

Thursday 17th January 2008
quotequote all
flemke said:
coetzeeh said:
belleair302 said:
If this happens, then we have another shaister joining the F1 ranks - Johannson is the subject of a huge fraud investigation in his home country, under arrest for a while too.
I know nothing more than what we've all read in the media, but the fact that Baugur were going to be the funding behind Prodrive, but then Prodrive could not continue because they were blocked by Williams, and now Williams - surprise, surprise! - are looking to get the slug of money from Baugur that had been intended for Prodrive seems more than a little bit dubious.
I was unaware that Baugur were going to fund Prodrive - as for Baugur being connected to Williams ... phew, ...cut throat business this is.

flemke

23,481 posts

266 months

Thursday 17th January 2008
quotequote all
coetzeeh said:
flemke said:
coetzeeh said:
belleair302 said:
If this happens, then we have another shaister joining the F1 ranks - Johannson is the subject of a huge fraud investigation in his home country, under arrest for a while too.
I know nothing more than what we've all read in the media, but the fact that Baugur were going to be the funding behind Prodrive, but then Prodrive could not continue because they were blocked by Williams, and now Williams - surprise, surprise! - are looking to get the slug of money from Baugur that had been intended for Prodrive seems more than a little bit dubious.
I was unaware that Baugur were going to fund Prodrive - as for Baugur being connected to Williams ... phew, ...cut throat business this is.
yes

According to Autosport mag, Baugur had agreed to give Prodrive £65M (yes, sterling) a year. eek