Martin Whitmarsh says that McLaren Technical Director Paddy Lowe will remain with the team in 2013. Lowe chose not to attend the McLaren event to avoid having detracting from the focus of the launch. Whitmarsh said that it was a “certainty” that Lowe would stay with McLaren this year but said that beyond that things were not quite as clear. A decision is expected – and indeed must be made – shortly before work begins on the 2014 car. If Lowe is going to be involved in that then the team must be clear that he is staying. If he is going, then there is not much point in him staying on, given that he can join another team six months after leaving McLaren.
“Lowe chose not to attend the McLaren event to avoid having detracting from the focus of the launch.” Hmm. For me, his absence was somewhat more remarkable than his presence would have been.
“Lowe chose not to attend the McLaren event to avoid having detracting from the focus of the launch.”
I’m not understanding this. Is this a fight over a pay raise, job promotion or more independence (power)? Was his not being there – really HIS decision or someone else?
“Paddy – bad news. I’m afraid you’re not allowed to spend a couple hours standing awkwardly around the new car while hacks fire the same questions at you as in every previous year, in between trying to trip you up as to your future plans. Instead we’d like you to carry on with the job you enjoy all day.”
“Dang.”
Funny that people staying at their teams are the news nowadays. We’ve seen too many changes in the teams apparently…
Smart decision by whomever for Lowe to stay away from the scrum.
MW: “The certainty is that Paddy will be part of the team for another year.”
Sounds to me like a nine-month gardening leave during which he stays on the muster sheet, or something in Paddy’s contract that prevents him from leaving at certain points in a season. Thus keeping him away from the McLaren 2014 car, and preventing him from working on anybody else’s.
That sounds a possible scenario
I couldn’t agree more, although I would be very sorry to see him go.
Hi Joe, Are you off to Dubai for the Emirates – F1 announcement next week?
I will be elsewhere. I have not heard anything much about this, but if I was a gambling man I would say that it is probably something to do with a title sponsorship of the Australian Grand Prix, a deal that nominally belongs to Qantas. The Australian airline and Emirates announced a partnership back in September and that is due to kick off around the time of the GP and so it makes sense for them all to draw attention to that, in an effort to spread the word globally.
That’s a very logical and educated guess actually. I forgot about the new partnership even though it was talked about a lot at the world travel market in excel in London last year. My assumption based on other bits I’d been told was official partner to F1 ala Rolex. I know one team pitched them for a deal this year too.
I am just guessing.
Does the world care when airlines have a partnership? I don’t travel as much as someone such as yourself but to me its rather unimportant information.
It matters to them.
I know McLaren are strong team but it does seem now as though Merc are building up an even stronger team for next year. Time will tell I guess.
“A strong team”, I am not so sure about that. Employing a lot of strong individuals certainly. It will be interesting to see if they can be built into a strong team.
I like Martin Whitmarsh. The words ‘integrity’ ‘intelligence’ and ‘fairplay’ fit him better than anyone else in F1 management currently. I suppose if he wasn’t in F1 he would be a church of England vicar in a nice market town in the Cotswolds.
But he’s lost his best driver and now also it seems, top techi. If Jenson comes up trumps for him in 2013 all will be well. I would love to see Jens do as well as he did in 2011 when he was certainly top dog in that team. Can’t see Perez running away with the WDC, and I think, nor can Whitmarsh. So here’s hoping Jens will be in the title fight at the end of this season.
I guess if he isn’t MW’s position will be shakey.
I’m still laughing at the idea of Martin as a vicar.
One of those earnest, athletic vicars, perhaps, organising trekking fellowships and urging the parishioners to call him “Martin”…
Still laughing
Looks like a PR blanket to cover Lowe’s departure
I don’t know Mr Deakin but he must be joking re Merc. With this many chiefs and just a couple of Indians-one of whom is pretty sub-par in my opinion-I cannot see Merc being anywhere near McLaren or Red Bull or Lotus or Ferrari for that matter.Yes, they will probably beat Marussia! re sub par I did of course mean Britney.
Stephen…How many wins for the Mercedes Team in F1 recently? Not many.
Thinking back, Ross Brawn stitched Paddy up nicely with his comments the other week, didn’t he? He now won’t have any exposure to anyone’s 2014 car, and he’ll be on the back foot wherever he goes — next season and possibly for longer.
All of which will do no harm at all to Ross’s chances of staying in the big chair at Brackley, not to mention destabilising McLaren (and possibly Williams too) and knocking them off their stride. That’s master’s work, that is — makes the political pronouncements of C. Horner and Dr Marko look small-town cheap.
Hehe, so that WAS a classy move, to misquote the man himself!