SiLo wrote: ↑17 Jan 2022, 15:47
AeroDynamic wrote: ↑16 Jan 2022, 13:27
FWIW, Sky F1 have heard noises out of the Mercedes camp that they’re pleased with how their ‘22 challenger is looking. The noise out of Ferrari are loudest at the moment though.
The Italians being noisy is just par for the course though 
SiLo wrote: ↑17 Jan 2022, 15:51
AeroDynamic wrote: ↑17 Jan 2022, 15:09
Yeah I agree. I don’t think I would say Michael was ‘critical’ in any way. I would say he helped push the team to get the best out of themselves basically. That little extra 10% difference sort of thing. You don’t get more confidence from anything other than winning races and titles, which they did do before he got there. The team wasn’t working wonders while he was there, but it did improve noticeably in 2013 after more key people like Elliot seemed to arrive. McLaren cars didn’t get slower when Elliot left in 2008, just less reliable. But we can say McLaren didn’t get anywhere after Hamilton left them, and Alonso joined them.
Hamilton and Elliot reunited in 2013 in the Mercedes team. And I think both of them should be given credit for the success of Mercedes, as should Toto. I think Brawn gets the credit for building the team but I think they would’ve grown very complacent under him, I think Toto is stronger in the leadership area.
I see so many hark on about Schumacher building a team, as if he went and personally signed all the people in technical and management roles himself.
Personally,
I think Brawn gave Mercedes a fantastic structure and base to build from, and bringing in Lewis was akin to bringing in Michael at Ferrari. There is a common denominator there. I also agree that Toto has seemingly driven them farther than maybe they would have gotten under Brawn, and I think Brawn realised that he wasn't needed and could pursue other things.
The more stories that come out about how hard Hamilton works just helps solidify his status about being involved in helping build the team the same way Schumacher did at Ferrari.
But Brawn didn't sign or bring Schumacher to Ferrari, he followed Schumacher there. so they're apples and oranges. But that doesn't take away any credit from the fact that Brawn knew from his Ferrari-Michael days, how to engineer, build, construct, and put together a winning team. So he knew he needed a driver of Hamilton's quality and thats exactly what he got.
Toto isn't a proven team builder, so Ross had that covered for his tenure. Where Toto is strong is building a team environment that makes people want to work, improve, compete and be hungry. And I don't believe Ross had this quality in him at all; he was an engineer. He's very similar to Otmar Szafanuer in that way, in terms of interpersonal style. Also, Ross, a man who had conquered the championship with Benetton, and Ferrari, 7-8 successes of titles, plus a new one under Brawn GP.. why would he be hungry anymore with nothing to prove? he'd won It all and done it all.
A hungry newcomer like Toto, with nothing to his name, and everything to prove, was always going to be hungry to achieve what Brawn had already achieved, what Horner had achieved before him. Toto is also no engineer, but a businessman, he knows how to work with people, and has the interpersonal style to build an environment; he knows psychology. Thats why Mercedes has sustainably dominated and become anything but complacent for so many years imo.
