Breaking my self imposed exile (
)to bring this little nugget of news that should have X and Seg(mun) turning in their sleep.
I will post the important sections, embolding the bits that people who should know better really ought to heed.
He also batted away suggestions that Mercedes' engine department would be inclined to work more closely with its factory team.
"The assumption that we're not working as closely with Mercedes is incorrect," Neale added. "We've had a long relationship with Mercedes-Benz High-Performance Engines at Brixworth, we know the guys up there very well and we're a good team together. I think certainly we expect, and we are, working very closely with them ahead of 2014. Our job, as theirs is, is to make sure Mercedes-Benz has the best engine on the grid and is best prepared and most ready [for 2014]. I don't feel in any way that we are being disadvantaged or held at arm's length.
"I think sometimes when people look at the McLaren Group as a whole and look at the way the road car platform is developing, then I think in that domain of course there are lots of what-ifs and maybes and how its powertrain is going to develop there going forward. But we shouldn't confuse that with what's going on with the engine programme [at the F1 team]. Our focus is very much around our engine partners Mercedes-Benz, who do a first-class job for us and we expect to be an intimate and high-performance partner with them."
Asked if McLaren had been given guarantees that it will receive equal treatment alongside the Mercedes GP team, Neale said: "That's not a concern or an issue for us at all. I think there is one thing that ourselves Mercedes GP and Mercedes-Benz High-Performance Engines want, which is for Mercedes to have the best engine in 2014. The fact that they can draw on technical contributions and know-how from partners such as ourselves and Mercedes should only make them stronger."
So, Thank you Mr Neale for rubbishing suggestions that Mercedes horde the best for themselves and dish out second rate V8's to anyone other than Mercedes GP.
Also, Mr Horner did say Mercedes GP were the biggest team on the F1 grid...with 450 GP staff around 330 engine staff a total of 780.
Now that Red Bull are a "factory" Renault team(his words), does this now mean Red Bull have usurped Mercedes GP as the "biggest" F1 team? Or will his barometers for measurement have changed?
I also see nothing wrong with Zetsche's comments. He was eulogising over Schumachers displays in a weakened car, and saying "we arent there
yet" with performance, Whats wrong with that? Its a darn honest assessment and at least hes stumping up the cash for them to at least try and get better!
How anyone can extrapulate a negative angle to it suggests to me they are overtrying of making a negative statement on this thread(repeatedly it has to be said).
And Zander....Look at his work history, littered with fallouts wherever he goes. If he lasts more than 18 at HRT, I'll eat my hat.
I'll resurface when the voting system Tomba has in place arrives. Until then, Arrivederci!
Edit:Richard here are your sources
http://www.planet-f1.com/driver/3213/71 ... with-Merc?
http://www.gpupdate.net/en/f1-news/2683 ... es-power/?
http://en.espnf1.com/lotus/motorsport/s ... MP=OTC-RSS
