Mercedes GP 2011

[mep]

It doesnt matter how they work together as long as they dont work for a other team.

[marcush.]

holy s..t.Zetsche is an electrical engineer .Dare I say it ..I had to work with lots of those and most of them basically know nothing about mechanical engineering but do not care and do decide on mechanical parts as if they had a clue.So a little knowledge is dangerous as everywhere...
But then he is really very far away from the engineering side these days so who cares..

As for the split engineering concept teams ..the fact you have big changes coming is a good point to NOT let the same people design these cars as the current experience will help a lot more with the current cars and not much when everything but the four tires is changing .

But having an independant team working oin the newe rules concept will avoid distarctions for the team trying to find a way to the front in 2012/13 as inevitably people will tend to direct their thoughts into the future and that might hold back W03 and W04 even more.

[Mr.S]

Brawn himself is becoming more of an assertive Team Pricipal,you seem him commenting from the company & engine makers viewpoint as well in making the appointment of Willis & Costa too.

I wonder whether it was Brawn who decided they needed to be recruited. It really should be the Technical Director deciding those things.

I am tired of answering to weird facts.

Bob Bell has been recruited by Merc less than 6 months ago & has not even delivered a car. He has barely got used to Mercedes & nowhere in the world does a TD recruit people. Tombazis does not recruit people nor does Paddy Lowe recruit Sam Michael.


Bell as TD can assess the weak areas & ask for re-inforcements in specific areas,quality experienced one's with certain specilization. It is up to the Team Pricipal to decide who(according to TD's wishlist at best) & recruit him. Nowhere in the world does a TD dictate the whole recruitment process.

[Mr.S]

Willis (TP)
Bell(TD)
Costa(CD)
Bigois(HA)

Well, Willis just isn't a Team Principal. Bell has been in that position at Renault and has a massive amount of experience, Willis would resume his role as Technical Director when he was so rudely interrupted the last time, I'm not sure about Costa because I would be recruiting someone with a stronger mechanical background (poach from McLaren or Renault) and the Head of Aerodynamics simply has to change.

However, the above structure is the one I'd be going for - clear Team Principal, clear Technical Director, someone with a clear mechanical background and someone with a clear aerodynamic background. Sorted. No silly electronics or production directors.

I already said why bell should not be TP. Bell is the last person in the world that should be TP in my book. He shuns media,does not like publicity or limelight & has never been a TP sort of guy. He is an aerodynamist,a Technical Director who marshalls his resources & designs a car. Bell should not be TP the same reason Paddy Lowe or James Key should mot be TP(but be TD).

Regarding Renault they had the Singapore issue,the whole team was going to be banned,the top officials were fired,Bell was the TD,one of the most important,experienced & oldest guy in Renault & had to step forward & take over as TD in times of crisis. It was never a planned move or a long term solution.

More of a stop gap arrangmenet & Bell left in 1 year & now he is TECHNICAL DIRECTOR where he should be.

[xpensive]

...
I already said why bell should not be TP.
...

munudeges must have forgotten that.

[JohnsonsEvilTwin]

This circular debate leaves me with the conclusion, that Mercedes are damned if they do or damned if they dont.

Whatever Mercedes do it will never be good enough for the detractors of this team. Some called for a change in staff last year, and berated them for not doing anything.

Well thats happened.

And now those same people are out with daggers question not only the people involved but now also the working environment!
Christ knows that if you can survive the amount of time in F1 as Mercedes recent acquisitions have, you would know what to look for before starting a new position.

Its kind of stupid debating the structure. As nobody here has an inkling how it will operate, nor can anyone compare the sturucture of other teams as they are all vastly different to the other! Ferrari and McLaren and Red Bull are day and night from each other, so why argue it should be like "Red Bull" when there is zero evidence to suggest that Red Bull are succesfull because of their structure.

There is also no evidence to suggest Ferrari and Mclaren are not succesful this year because of their structure. Its a ludicrous argument that works on a god like assumption that the poster will know the inner workings and personalties and responsibilities, it's bloody insane!

[Mr.S]

Yea I kind of agree with JET,it's stupid debating structures. PersonallY I rate Brawn pretty highly & i am fine with him as TP & the present team structure. The only issue I have is AERODYNAMICS,that is the most important area in F1 & I really wanted someone VERY VERY good to challenge Red Bull. I am no sure about Willis.

[marcush.]

somehow I have the feeling Willis is a very good aero guy but has his own views .
With Bell being an aero guy and Bigois in the line as well that´s already three directions and potential for debate and disagreement in major points and details...

[xpensive]

Yea I kind of agree with JET,it's stupid debating structures.
...

Right, anything else you regard as being stupid to debate, which we therefore should avoid?

Myself, I find it rather interesting to debate a management structure which is clearly moving from one corner to the other within a year. From having no technical director, to all of a sudden have three of them, although with different labels?

[JohnsonsEvilTwin]

Myself, I find it rather interesting to debate a management structure which is clearly moving from one corner to the other within a year. From having no technical director, to all of a sudden have three of them, although with different labels?

Interesting

I thought Mercedes only had 1 Technical director.....

[munudeges]

I already said why bell should not be TP. Bell is the last person in the world that should be TP in my book. He shuns media,does not like publicity or limelight & has never been a TP sort of guy.

I wouldn't really be interested in whether he shuns publicity or not. Red Bull have raised the bar in terms of what's required to start winning, and for a car manufacturer like Mercedes there is no point if you're not winning. To do that teams have to become focused completely on engineering from the top down and as far as I'm concerned Bell would make a far better job of demanding what he needs from Daimler.

There can be no spare parts and individuals hiding behind others and claiming glory and reputation that they're not really entitled to, and I suspect that's been going on in many teams as their staff numbers have increased over the years.

[munudeges]

I thought Mercedes only had 1 Technical director.....

You thought wrong then, because the political reality of an organisation like this tells us a very different story.

It's taken them, what, two years to take the advice of some esteemed members on this board and recruit better technical staff? Shall we say, another five to get a no-nonsense structure in place? Personally I can't see Mercedes investors swallowing that one.

[Richard]

Only time will tell, until then this thread is doomed to go round and round and round and round and round ...

[munudeges]

Time is telling..............

[Richard]

Is it? The new leadership team hasn't even started yet. They'll not deliver a car until the 2013 season.