Mercedes GP 2011

[dren]

They (I think Autosport) spelled it out on what Willis and Costa would be doing. Willis is over aero, wind tunnel testing, etc and Costa is over car mechanical/ballance of systems design. Bell tells them the overall direction to go with the car and likely sets target goals for the design teams to meet/beat.

[Mr.S]

I just dont see what the criticism is regards Mercedes management is.

Haug is there to report back to the paymasters in Stuttgart and deliver the usual PR.
Brawn is there because he has the role that Whitmarsh has at McLaren.
Bell is the orchestral master, and calls the tune technically.
Willis is there as technology director(Bell will know more than anyone what this entails)
Costa is engineering director, again Bell will know what this entails.

Its very clear and quite simple actually.

-------------------------------------- Bell-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Willis-------- Costa


A big bell end if you like

Willis is actually Head of Aerodynamics includinG CFD,Simulation & stuff. Costa is head of design & development of the car. Willis specializes in Aero while Costa in the mechanical side.

Bigois and the rest will take a back-seat. I wont be surprised to see them leave. Mercedes have probably realized people like Bigois cant beat Newey. The whole group has probably been demoted & they were given too big a role than what they are capable of.

[Richard]

The whole group has probably been demoted & they were given too big a role than what they are capable of.

Many of them will probably flourish when they previously floundered.

... assuming the reality of leadership goes to plan. Looking forward to seeing what happens.

[xpensive]

For the record now; I'm convinced that 18 months from now, when the W04 camel has failed miserably, we will all be here on this very forum bickering over xactly who in this dream-team of XTDs f***ed up the most.

[JohnsonsEvilTwin]

Yes I read the same report just didnt have to hand.

Bigois is a bit of a curiosity. Given the aero pitfalls of the W02, the trail ends at his door step.
How much of this was due to lack of TD/overzealous conceptual planning is anyones guess.

Maybe Wills is there to create some competition, Bell with his background in aero will probably feel Bigois' reputation was keeping him there and it required some creative management to get the best out of him.

Its no coincidence that the BGP001 was Zander/Bigois credited. Maybe he works better with another person? I certainly dont think there is a law of the jungle mob of alpha males running amok in any F1 engineering department, so maybe this is the case...

+1 richard.

[JohnsonsEvilTwin]

Thats an easy shout in light of Red Bulls current form X.

Its also very easy to single out 1 team to fail when there are 10 others it competes against(realistically around 4 or 5 I know).

Also, didnt you predict the "old man" to be retired by now and MErcedes to be rebadged nissan?

Hows that prediction going?

[munudeges]

The clear message of Bell is in charge and Costa & Willis are his sidekicks shows the correct intent.

As I've said, their job titles say otherwise and paint a very, very different picture. Never underestimate what can be read in a job title - it's all about ego massage. Already the working structure is off to a bad start.

[munudeges]

Thats an easy shout in light of Red Bulls current form X.

Its also very easy to single out 1 team to fail when there are 10 others it competes against(realistically around 4 or 5 I know).

It's not just Mercedes that have been singled out. Ferrari's accountability is a puzzle and McLaren's dual car development was never going to work in a million years.

You look at Red Bull's structure, with a TD calling all the shots and putting his head right on the block, an aerodynamic head and a strong mechanical engineering head putting the car together and you've got all the major elements covered. There is no hiding place there and if you're Promodrou or Marshall you will get found out if you're masquerading. Unless politics are left at the door I can't see anyone beating Red Bull for some considerable time.

[Ferraripilot]

For the record now; I'm convinced that 18 months from now, when the W04 camel has failed miserably, we will all be here on this very forum bickering over xactly who in this dream-team of XTDs f***ed up the most.

I will certainly take that bet that you are incorrect!

[JohnsonsEvilTwin]

How is that

with a TD calling all the shots and putting his head right on the block

Bell

an aerodynamic head

Willis

a strong mechanical engineering head putting the car together

Costa

you've got all the major elements covered.

Bingo!

Comparing structures and saying one is better than the other is silly. Ferrari managed fine with their spaghetti junction affair to create the most succesful run of any team ever. It hasnt been copied.

Already the working structure is off to a bad start.

According to whom?

Im pretty sure Bell would know a thing or two about the necessary structures required to operate effectively. These have been implemented and, while what you have said may have been correct 12 months ago, its all change at Mercedes today.
Its not going to work overnight, and there will be teething problems. But Mercedes are putting their money where their mouth is and showing good appetite to get stuck in.
The proposed maangement structure as I see it will have a positive effect on the team, because its all about getting the right people to the right jobs.

Willis and Costa having signed up to a Bell managed technical team tells me they are where they ought to be in terms of structure.

[xpensive]

For the record now; I'm convinced that 18 months from now, when the W04 camel has failed miserably, we will all be here on this very forum bickering over xactly who in this dream-team of XTDs f***ed up the most.

I will certainly take that bet that you are incorrect!

You're on pilot! How 'bout that Nomex suit, remember that bet JET?

As for JET's graphic description of life in design-engineering neverland, I'm certain that RB and NH's intentions are something like that, but it rings of a fascinating level of management naivity to believe those gents will be the compliant tingelings.

[JohnsonsEvilTwin]

And Helmet Marko and Christian Horner are a world apart X?


Hmmm

And yea I remember the bet....You chickened out of coming to Deutschland as I remember!

[Cocles]

A few non-rhetorical questions for the regular posters in this thread (especially Xpensive, JET, munudeges, and Mr. S):

What would Mercedes GP need to achieve with the W03 for you to consider them a non-failure? Please be as specific as possible. What place in the constructors championship? What places in the drivers championship? How big of a point spread?

And what would be your answer to those same questions regarding the W04?

[JohnsonsEvilTwin]

Progress.

If they finished 4th next year but made inroads on the time defecit they have on ferrari and McLaren, then that is progress.
Forget planet red bull, 1.2 second margin is just too large a gap for this team to contemplate.

The structures of what have now been put in place will not work perfectly and bedding in will be required. But it will need to show Stuttgart that it is moving forwards.

To start testing and discover the car is no better than the W02 will be a bitter pill. But I'm optimistic that this isn't the case for reasons I have expressed a few times now.

My personal expectations of the 03 is that it should be a podium challenger in some races. Not all but some.
The 04 will be expected to build on that and become a car capable of podiums and possibly a race win. My money is on the 05 being the car to challenge red bull.

[Ferraripilot]

For the record now; I'm convinced that 18 months from now, when the W04 camel has failed miserably, we will all be here on this very forum bickering over xactly who in this dream-team of XTDs f***ed up the most.

I will certainly take that bet that you are incorrect!

You're on pilot! How 'bout that Nomex suit, remember that bet JET?

As for JET's graphic description of life in design-engineering neverland, I'm certain that RB and NH's intentions are something like that, but it rings of a fascinating level of management naivity to believe those gents will be the compliant tingelings.

I'm down for it X. I love this forum. I definitely don't need a nomex suit...... we'll figure something out.

Wasn't Newey told something similar when he went to RB? Their cars were just terrible for 4-5 whole seasons. tragic.