Angela Cullen and Lewis go their separate ways
Discussion
maz8062 said:
Oneball said:
Again the second part of the quote is out of context too, it doesn’t include the rest where Toto says; if this is Lewis’s decision then it’s up to him but we will fully support him in it.
Full quote:
“I don't know what has been announced. Angela was part of the gang for a long time. I think in every team, whether that is his close circle, or also in the wider group, you know, this is not a static situation that you can freeze, because we all develop as people, we develop as an organization and if things don't work out anymore, then we need to be honest about it and then bring change. Angela will always be a mascot of the team. She's the only one who has a louder voice than a starting car. But, you know, if this is what he decides, we will always absolutely support him, whatever direct direction he wants to take.”
It is obvious from the bolded part that LH brought the relationship to an end. As for the reasons why no one knows, but abruptness of it, mid season with just one race gone, leads us to speculate that it was acrimonious and the public fawning over each other is just marketing spin. Full quote:
“I don't know what has been announced. Angela was part of the gang for a long time. I think in every team, whether that is his close circle, or also in the wider group, you know, this is not a static situation that you can freeze, because we all develop as people, we develop as an organization and if things don't work out anymore, then we need to be honest about it and then bring change. Angela will always be a mascot of the team. She's the only one who has a louder voice than a starting car. But, you know, if this is what he decides, we will always absolutely support him, whatever direct direction he wants to take.”
Edited by Oneball on Saturday 18th March 13:56
paulguitar said:
Pflanzgarten said:
One year gardening leave for any contractor at Mercedes F1 going to work at another F1 team.
Angela will be free to work with Lewis from March 2024 when he moves to his new team
Angela will be free to work with Lewis from March 2024 when he moves to his new team
Jordie Barretts sock said:
paulguitar said:
Except she doesn't and never has worked for a F1 team either directly or as a contractor. maz8062 said:
Oneball said:
Again the second part of the quote is out of context too, it doesn’t include the rest where Toto says; if this is Lewis’s decision then it’s up to him but we will fully support him in it.
Full quote:
“I don't know what has been announced. Angela was part of the gang for a long time. I think in every team, whether that is his close circle, or also in the wider group, you know, this is not a static situation that you can freeze, because we all develop as people, we develop as an organization and if things don't work out anymore, then we need to be honest about it and then bring change. Angela will always be a mascot of the team. She's the only one who has a louder voice than a starting car. But, you know, if this is what he decides, we will always absolutely support him, whatever direct direction he wants to take.”
It is obvious from the bolded part that LH brought the relationship to an end. As for the reasons why no one knows, but abruptness of it, mid season with just one race gone, leads us to speculate that it was acrimonious and the public fawning over each other is just marketing spin. Full quote:
“I don't know what has been announced. Angela was part of the gang for a long time. I think in every team, whether that is his close circle, or also in the wider group, you know, this is not a static situation that you can freeze, because we all develop as people, we develop as an organization and if things don't work out anymore, then we need to be honest about it and then bring change. Angela will always be a mascot of the team. She's the only one who has a louder voice than a starting car. But, you know, if this is what he decides, we will always absolutely support him, whatever direct direction he wants to take.”
Edited by Oneball on Saturday 18th March 13:56
I have seen nothing to suggest any acrimony at all, apart from Internet forum speculation looking for something that isn’t there,
Pflanzgarten said:
Jordie Barretts sock said:
So she works for someone who works for a F1 team. She doesn't work for or contracts to, a F1 team.
Or you could just say, sorry I was wrong and don't know what i'm on about 
Or perhaps your ego.might explain how all the tech guys that went from Merc to Aston managed to do that? Yet there would be a non enforceable clause in a physio's contract to stop her working for anyone else in F1?
Because obviously as a Kiwi she's much more important than all the tech know how.
Edited by Jordie Barretts sock on Saturday 18th March 17:45
Jordie Barretts sock said:
Pflanzgarten said:
Jordie Barretts sock said:
So she works for someone who works for a F1 team. She doesn't work for or contracts to, a F1 team.
Or you could just say, sorry I was wrong and don't know what i'm on about Nice touch by Lewis on his instagram, thanking her
https://www.instagram.com/p/Cp47CCJOkfh/?igshid=Ym...
https://www.instagram.com/p/Cp47CCJOkfh/?igshid=Ym...
It’s the timing of Angela’s departure, after one race of a new season, that is distinctly odd to put it politely, so it’s inevitable that it will cause conjecture & speculation. I would be very surprised if there isn’t more to it than the gushing PR spin we are being fed.
If she & Lewis had announced over the winter that she had decided that seven years of living on the road was enough and that she wanted to spend more time at home in NZ with her family etc etc, nobody would have questioned it.
If she & Lewis had announced over the winter that she had decided that seven years of living on the road was enough and that she wanted to spend more time at home in NZ with her family etc etc, nobody would have questioned it.
I think it's extremely nieve to think that this decision was spur of the moment--it will have been planned months in advance, F1 doesn't do surprises. And, despite his arguable flaws, Lewis' decision making has (in my view) been near flawless (the same cannot be said for some other very talented drivers e.g. Alonso). I expect there is a plan b.
The tone from Toto is a departure from what we've been used to though, that's something to watch. I recall Lewis mentioning some years ago that he'd like to one day drive for Ferrari but I guess that's probably true for most on the grid (and perhaps he was being respectful).
The tone from Toto is a departure from what we've been used to though, that's something to watch. I recall Lewis mentioning some years ago that he'd like to one day drive for Ferrari but I guess that's probably true for most on the grid (and perhaps he was being respectful).
Bradgate said:
It’s the timing of Angela’s departure, after one race of a new season, that is distinctly odd to put it politely, so it’s inevitable that it will cause conjecture & speculation. I would be very surprised if there isn’t more to it than the gushing PR spin we are being fed.
If she & Lewis had announced over the winter that she had decided that seven years of living on the road was enough and that she wanted to spend more time at home in NZ with her family etc etc, nobody would have questioned it.
Yes, I think the same way as a few others. She will have wanted to focus on other things, but agreed to one last time to try and get WDC 8. After race 1 it's certain that won't happen, so either she then said that's it, or Lewis said go and do the stuff you want as there's no point in hanging around this season. Hence the timing. If she & Lewis had announced over the winter that she had decided that seven years of living on the road was enough and that she wanted to spend more time at home in NZ with her family etc etc, nobody would have questioned it.
Training a driver, either as a physio or a trainer isn’t for everybody and few people do more than a decade in F1. The travel demands are huge and you have no real life. She wants to move on as many do and somebody else will step in. She may have given in her notice at the end of last year and maybe there was a 90 day clause. Who knows but I spent four years traveling with a team in the late 90s and it was pretty hard work.
TheBinarySheep said:
Fundoreen said:
This is one of those things that prove a lot of f1 fans are Psychopaths lol.
Lewis probably was aware she had plans to do other things but her loyalty meant she would stay in his team. He knew they were unlikely to win a title anytime soon so was ok with her doing he stuff with an open door if she wanted to come back.
This is healthy but confusing to the average Psychopath.
I think this sounds plausible. She's probably told him this was her last year and she'd stay to help him get the 8th title. After the first race, it's become apparent the 8th title won't be coming this season, so he's told her to get on with her life now rather than stick around until the end of the season.Lewis probably was aware she had plans to do other things but her loyalty meant she would stay in his team. He knew they were unlikely to win a title anytime soon so was ok with her doing he stuff with an open door if she wanted to come back.
This is healthy but confusing to the average Psychopath.
No doubt in my mind if a 8th WDC was in for the fight she would stay. The fact it’s a dead duck means it’s not worth it. Nothing to say if he doesn’t end up in a competitive car she won’t come back for the 8th WDC attack
As a sports person, clearly very motivated and, for Lewis a very motivational person I can’t believe Angela would throw in the towel just because WDC8 is not going to happen this season.
Unless it’s contractual and can it can only be terminated on anniversary (I assume the season is now starting earlier than when she first started with Lewis?), I’m going for the break to serve 12 months gardening leave as he’s thinking of moving, or has already signed. Best of a bad lot of the normal PH fantasist dreamt up reasons for the split.
Unless it’s contractual and can it can only be terminated on anniversary (I assume the season is now starting earlier than when she first started with Lewis?), I’m going for the break to serve 12 months gardening leave as he’s thinking of moving, or has already signed. Best of a bad lot of the normal PH fantasist dreamt up reasons for the split.
maz8062 said:
honda_exige said:
That tallies with LH's IG post so why is Toto wading in suggesting that he sacked her?
Anyone else notice Toto has been a bit.... odd this season?
His comments will likely antagonise Lewis as people will use it as an excuse to s
t on him.
My wild conspiracy theory is that when combined with Toto's comments yesterday about Lewis looking for another team is that he's trying to encourage Lewis out the door, or he already knows that Lewis himself has decided that.
Whichever way we look at it this doesn’t look good. Had she given notice that she’ll be calling it quits at the end of the season, this season with a long farewell, we’d get it. But after one race and with immediate effect during a race weekend, it come across as a sacking. Sacking someone that has been there through the grid times and the bad, is not a great look, but then again LH doesn’t do loyalty - ask that German guy that stabbed someone with a glass (the name escapes me)Anyone else notice Toto has been a bit.... odd this season?
His comments will likely antagonise Lewis as people will use it as an excuse to s
t on him.My wild conspiracy theory is that when combined with Toto's comments yesterday about Lewis looking for another team is that he's trying to encourage Lewis out the door, or he already knows that Lewis himself has decided that.
I’ve followed LH from his F1 days in 2007. As a person he doesn’t appear to do loyalty, perhaps apart from his dogs and his father as a father, but there are no ever present people, “friends” around him and he does appear to burn bridges. He’s 38 but doesn’t have a wife or long term gf, children, he comes across as a person that seems to be in constant flow. A great sportsman but otherwise lost.
Good luck to him but I fear he’ll struggle in the future when there’ll be less attention on him. I could be wrong of course.
Interestingly, Max is sort of the opposite way round. He's very black or white on track, is undeniably very single minded and focussed on winning and will (arguably) win at all costs in many situations. He's painted as the villain to Lewis' hero (in the minds of many of the LH Fan club) however having spoken with people that work very closely with Max, away from the media and the track, Max is super friendly, very personable, down to earth and fun.
Hundreds of books exist about the psychology of sportsmen and women. I'm sure that Lewis wouldn't be as successful if he wasn't a Narcissist.
RacerMike said:
maz8062 said:
honda_exige said:
That tallies with LH's IG post so why is Toto wading in suggesting that he sacked her?
Anyone else notice Toto has been a bit.... odd this season?
His comments will likely antagonise Lewis as people will use it as an excuse to st on him.
My wild conspiracy theory is that when combined with Toto's comments yesterday about Lewis looking for another team is that he's trying to encourage Lewis out the door, or he already knows that Lewis himself has decided that.
Whichever way we look at it this doesn’t look good. Had she given notice that she’ll be calling it quits at the end of the season, this season with a long farewell, we’d get it. But after one race and with immediate effect during a race weekend, it come across as a sacking. Sacking someone that has been there through the grid times and the bad, is not a great look, but then again LH doesn’t do loyalty - ask that German guy that stabbed someone with a glass (the name escapes me)Anyone else notice Toto has been a bit.... odd this season?
His comments will likely antagonise Lewis as people will use it as an excuse to s
t on him.My wild conspiracy theory is that when combined with Toto's comments yesterday about Lewis looking for another team is that he's trying to encourage Lewis out the door, or he already knows that Lewis himself has decided that.
I’ve followed LH from his F1 days in 2007. As a person he doesn’t appear to do loyalty, perhaps apart from his dogs and his father as a father, but there are no ever present people, “friends” around him and he does appear to burn bridges. He’s 38 but doesn’t have a wife or long term gf, children, he comes across as a person that seems to be in constant flow. A great sportsman but otherwise lost.
Good luck to him but I fear he’ll struggle in the future when there’ll be less attention on him. I could be wrong of course.
Interestingly, Max is sort of the opposite way round. He's very black or white on track, is undeniably very single minded and focussed on winning and will (arguably) win at all costs in many situations. He's painted as the villain to Lewis' hero (in the minds of many of the LH Fan club) however having spoken with people that work very closely with Max, away from the media and the track, Max is super friendly, very personable, down to earth and fun.
Hundreds of books exist about the psychology of sportsmen and women. I'm sure that Lewis wouldn't be as successful if he wasn't a Narcissist.
Chamon_Lee said:
TheBinarySheep said:
Fundoreen said:
This is one of those things that prove a lot of f1 fans are Psychopaths lol.
Lewis probably was aware she had plans to do other things but her loyalty meant she would stay in his team. He knew they were unlikely to win a title anytime soon so was ok with her doing he stuff with an open door if she wanted to come back.
This is healthy but confusing to the average Psychopath.
I think this sounds plausible. She's probably told him this was her last year and she'd stay to help him get the 8th title. After the first race, it's become apparent the 8th title won't be coming this season, so he's told her to get on with her life now rather than stick around until the end of the season.Lewis probably was aware she had plans to do other things but her loyalty meant she would stay in his team. He knew they were unlikely to win a title anytime soon so was ok with her doing he stuff with an open door if she wanted to come back.
This is healthy but confusing to the average Psychopath.
No doubt in my mind if a 8th WDC was in for the fight she would stay. The fact it’s a dead duck means it’s not worth it. Nothing to say if he doesn’t end up in a competitive car she won’t come back for the 8th WDC attack
Angela was probably earning $500 -$600k per year, more with endorsements for being part of the LH marketing machine. Why would she want to give that up?
The more I look at it the more it looks like the contract was up and LH chose not to renew it. I imagine there’d be some sort of compensation in monetary terms, but I think LH may have wanted to go forward without being shackled with commitments of which Angela is one. He’s still texting her so they haven’t parted on bad terms - this just gives LH the freedom to decide his future. For some however, Angela should have been part of that future from a sporting perspective unless he decides to call it quits all together.
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