Post here all non technical related topics about Formula One. This includes race results, discussions, testing analysis etc. TV coverage and other personal questions should be in Off topic chat.
Hiring the winningest driver in the history of the sport, for a 3 year contract, in the incumbent team, in a German marque, for a ridiculous salary is hardly what we call a "PR stunt".
It's what we call a "title push".
Before I do anything I ask myself “Would an idiot do that?” And if the answer is yes, I do not do that thing. - Dwight Schrute
I wonder if this year's Braw...'ahem' Merc, will be fast out of the box, or if it will have to be developed throughout the season. As I understand it this was not one of the cars that was developed early, unless Merc and Ross planned this months before it was announced.
If it is developed throughout the season then I can definietly see the need for a No.1 driver as was the case last season with various teams (Macca, Ferrari, Renault are the ones that come to mind)
I perceive thise entire Mercedes/Schumacher/Brawn/Rosberg scenario as one with a three-year plan.
Although many fans only look for the day-to-day wins, it's the large scope of changes that Brawn will have to undergo to transform from a flash-in-the-pan to a genuine, consistent contender like Mclaren or Ferrari.
And the entry of Michael Schumacher was the final piece of the puzzle for Mercedes.
They bought Brawn, the 2009 winner of the titles.
They brought in Rosberg, a German driver with the potential to reach the top and stay there.
Finally Michael. Not only a great driver in his own right, but arguably the most successful driver in pulling a team together and turning them into a genuine contender. He did it with Ferrari, he can do it with Mercedes.
Michael is signed up for three years. Let's face it, unless they get lightning in a bottle again, Mercedes first year is to be a transition from Brawn into a Mercedes team designed to produce results .. and not today, but for the remainer of at least this decade.
The second year should belong to Michael, but the third year I expect Rosberg to be fully developed, and to assume the WDC.
I expect Mercedes to invest as much resources and effort as McLaren and Ferrari, they have to construct a car worthy of Michael Schumacher, and the expectations of his fans (especially the German ones). If they don't, the double-edged sword will swing the other way, and it all will come back to haunt Mercedes. But Mercedes know this, failure would be magnified many times because Michael was involved. But success? Hey, looks do-able.
If Mercedes spend as much money as Ferrari or anyone else, if they commit themselves to a long-range plan to become a genuine contender, and make full use of the abilities of Michal Schumacher and Ross Brawn, I fully expect Mercedes to become a genuine annual contender.
Anyways, if Rosberg screws up and ruins his side of the deal, he will just be replaced with a waiting and willing Heidfeld.
Racing should be decided on the track, not the court room.
DaveKillens wrote:I expect Mercedes to invest as much resources and effort as McLaren and Ferrari, they have to construct a car worthy of Michael Schumacher, and the expectations of his fans (especially the German ones). If they don't, the double-edged sword will swing the other way, and it all will come back to haunt Mercedes. But Mercedes know this, failure would be magnified many times because Michael was involved. But success? Hey, looks do-able.
One has to keep in mind that Mercedes and Red Bull already operate on a lower resource level than McLaren and Ferrari and that will probably apply to the development of the 2010, 2011 and the 2012 car. So clearly they will have to be better and more efficient to win against the "fat cats".
DaveKillens wrote:Anyways, if Rosberg screws up and ruins his side of the deal, he will just be replaced with a waiting and willing Heidfeld.
That is indeed a delicate situation which was created by Heidfeld's failure to secure a race seat. Haug had promised him to do something for him which must have given him a bit of overconfidence in the negotiations. Nick would absolutely love it if Nico screws up. My view is that Nico will not. He is an intelligent man and will use all his abilities to hang on to this fantastic career chance.
Formula One's fundamental ethos is about success coming to those with the most ingenious engineering and best ..............................organization, not to those with the biggest budget. (Dave Richards)
The presence of Heidfeld in the Mercedes team absolutely squashes anything to do with his dad's animosity against Schumacher.
Mercedes have been around Formula One to know how things work, and what mistakes to avoid in order not to become another BMW, or Toyota, or Honda. They do not want to buy into a team, to only exit a few years later. The goal (as I understand) for Mercedes is to have their own team in Formula One, and develop it into a powerhouse, one that will be around for awhile, and a genuine contender.
So far, Mercedes have bought a team, and are in the process of making it their own. They have two of the leading talents in racing, in the form of Brawn and Schumacher. Brawn will be the man running the team, while Schumacher will be instrumental in the devlopment of the car, other drivers, and team.
There is, however, one piece of the puzzle that appears flawed so far. Nick Fry is still occupying a position of importance within the team, and to be honest, I don't like him. He was a major player in attampting to secure Button's contract past 2009, and it bombed. So much for having Mercedes carry the number one on it's car for it's inaugural year.
Personally, I would like to see Fry and Mercedes part company, I have little confidence in the man. Now.. who could replace Fry? Someone from Michael's past, like Brawn? Someone who is a master at managing the finances in a Formula One team? Someone who just got his ban from FIA activities lifted (at least, for now) and is buddy-buddy with Bernie? OK, OK, reality check, Flav's chances are slim to none. But what the hey, it sure would spice things up........
Racing should be decided on the track, not the court room.
Fry does seem a little unnecesarry. With Brawn secure and Haug now on the bridge surely his position would naturally be under threat, how many cheifs do you need?
I know the topic has wandered away from Schumachers number but am I the only one who looks at that request as a warning shot to Rosberg AND the rest of the grid, combined with a little germanic humour. Of course you like odd numbers Michael you had the most important one on your car for 7 years.
DaveKillens wrote:There is, however, one piece of the puzzle that appears flawed so far. Nick Fry is still occupying a position of importance within the team, and to be honest, I don't like him. He was a major player in attampting to secure Button's contract past 2009, and it bombed. So much for having Mercedes carry the number one on it's car for it's inaugural year.
Personally, I would like to see Fry and Mercedes part company, I have little confidence in the man. Now.. who could replace Fry? Someone from Michael's past, like Brawn? Someone who is a master at managing the finances in a Formula One team? Someone who just got his ban from FIA activities lifted (at least, for now) and is buddy-buddy with Bernie? OK, OK, reality check, Flav's chances are slim to none. But what the hey, it sure would spice things up........
No question, Fry is useless. Unfortunately he must have had a golden parachute in Honda which was only avoided by giving him some equity in Brawn GP. It is difficult to remove a share holder. It may be wiser to employ him with something that cannot hurt. I believe that Nobby is relatively successfull with that approach. At least he managed to pull the Petronas scoop off and I don't expect Fry to have any involvements with big sponsor deals at all.
Briatore to Mercedes?
Formula One's fundamental ethos is about success coming to those with the most ingenious engineering and best ..............................organization, not to those with the biggest budget. (Dave Richards)
Rosberg: Fancied his chances against Button, thats why he signed. But since Button chose McLaren over Brawn/Mercedes he was worried who would partner him, he hoped that it would be someone like Heidfeld post Button to McLaren. However it is now Schumacher that was signed, for less than what Button and Rossberg cost from what ive read. With Rosberg he has now got a chance against a 7 time WDC and almost 100 GP winner, if he outshines Michale, Nico will watch his stock rise, if he even keeps his career flat (in other words does what Massa did in 2006) and taked knowlege and the "experience" of having Michael in the team and applies that he will be on the right path. However, this is the thing, with Button, if he bombed and didnt get any where near Button his stock wouldnt be as damaged, but the thing is with Michael he could fast be going down what Jonny Herbet had in the mid 90s at bennaton with Schumacher.
Schumacher: This is a little thank you to the guys and company that started him in motor-racing and the guys that gave him all his success in F1. However he will be there for the long haul, i think he has 2 or 3 good seasons left in him, but enough to shape the team into the powerhouse that Ferarri was till 2006 or 2007 till the "spagetthi culture" set in and the mess that started in late 2008 and was futher shown in 2009. Schumacher will be there for the car development and driver development areas of the team. Areas that he can influence, with the influence that Ross Brawn has over the rest of the team, make them into Scuderia Mercedes if you want the pun. He will be unfased by the presence of Rosberg, however i think he could toughen Rosberg up a little inside the team, whitch Williams didnt do with Nico.
Heidfeld: "The Insurance package". Thats all he is there for. Consistant racer, fast over the timed lap or over a stint or two in a race. If Michael gets problems with his neck, he will step into car #3. Also if anything happens to Rosberg, also handy to have as well. Like Rosberg, he will learn alot from Michael, he will be a good foil in the team with his experience as well. As someone who has raced against Schumacher in the past, he will be able to give him "advice" if Schumacher needs it on anything from some of the new post 2006 tracks and such, if he needs it. A good value singing at posibly $3million to $5 Million a season. He will posibly be able to do any show driver Mercedes GP wishes to do Red Bull or Renault style in the Mercedes liveried BGP001 if they choose.
Others: Nick Fry will carry on with the comercial side of things, accompanied by a few guys from the Mercedes finance and marketing departments, he will make sure that the team is sufficently funded, Mercedes will not allow what he done to Honda in 2007-2008 to happen with a unbranded car to take to the grid, but with the 2009 BGP001 the counter argument could be there, but as long as he and the Mercedes marketing and coin counters get what they want from him, they will be fine. And getting rid of him will be hard, as he owns 12.45% of the company with ross Brawn having another 12.45%. Harder to get rid of.
As long as Stutgart are happy, and Brackley is winning, and getting shaped into a team for the next 20+ years that is economically viable and successful, the Board of Mercedes will not care. Oh and its a case of getting one over on their former manufacturer team and those red guys at Ferarri.
to me Mercedes was in 2009 already in a phase of transition ,reducing staff after
finishing the adaption to mercedes power.
so apart from new drivers and Norbert now spending more time with rossbrawn and less with Mclaren are the major structural news ..and more imprtant the staff seems to remain as it was .
we will see if the already performed reductions in human power will show as a lack
in potential of the car ,but I guess as Ross seemed to have a good handle on planning the return to the top when he came on board at honda ,I´m sure he has kept the guys he really needs.
As of the level playing field ,this is not a question but a fact .the differences we saw in Benneton or Ferrari were coming thru Schumacher creating a comfort zone around him ,something open to rosberg as well.Start to loook over the fence in envy
instead of doing everything to make your guys have all confidence in your prospects turning into results will only feed to let the balance move towards the Maestro.
Nico Rosberg wrote:In motorsport you need a reference and I've got the very best next to me. I have been given the assurance we will have the same materials. All the attention will be on him, while I have the time to concentrate on my work. When I win in Bahrain - that is my goal - people will care not about the number that is on my car, but about the driver who is inside.
That turned out as expected.
Formula One's fundamental ethos is about success coming to those with the most ingenious engineering and best ..............................organization, not to those with the biggest budget. (Dave Richards)
Nico Rosberg wrote:In motorsport you need a reference and I've got the very best next to me. I have been given the assurance we will have the same materials....
That turned out as expected.
I think that's kind of the point. Like they'd tell someone "we're going to prefer your team mate if possible mate - but good luck to you too."
The driver is probably one of the last guys they'd tell.. Even if it came down to which guys are on which car's pit crew or which guy gets the test with the new parts etc.
Ross Brawn in Bild Magazine wrote:"If I had to bet on any of the championship candidates I would put my money on Michael for the Formula 1 championship title this year."
i'm sure he'll do everything in his power to help his bet's odds!
Q. Ross, you said in a previous interview that you believed Michael Schumacher can be champion this year. What makes you so confident about that?
RB: Well, thank you for reminding me of my earlier comments – but they came in the context of someone asking me to compare the four competing world champions and which one had the best chance. Among the competing world champions, I am naturally going to support Michael...
I took this question and answer from Autosport today. It shows that Ross was quoted out of context and that Fil's opinion is at least not substantiated by original Brawn comments, in fact I would call it unsubstantiated.
Formula One's fundamental ethos is about success coming to those with the most ingenious engineering and best ..............................organization, not to those with the biggest budget. (Dave Richards)
I'm not sure it changes my opinion at all actually!
I did quote the context of Brawn's answer there, '..on any of the championship candidates..' where he clearly states to whom his choices are limited to.
I still hold the unsubstantiated opinion it would be natural for Ross, and the team, to be inherently inclined to support the 7x WDC over the other bloke who hasn't won a race.
The challenge is Nico's to change this by performing on the track.
Any post(s) made by this user are (semi-)educated opinion(s), based on random fact(s) blurred by the smudges of time.
Any fact(s) claimed by this user will be supplemented by a link to the original source of said fact(s).
