Mercedes AMG F1 Team 2012

[JohnsonsEvilTwin]

Merc looking for senior aerodynamicist...Something to do with L.Bigois departure?

Of course.
But Mercedes GP being a limited company are under the companies act in the UK(maybe even EU) whereby any position has to be advertised.
I remember this from my consultancy days and dealing with QinetiQ. They would advertise a position for a specific role, but someone internally would already be lined up for it.

I reckon its probably going to be Mr Willis. If not, then I can already see a Schumacher/Haug/Zetsche/Brawn convoy heading across the A422 to Milton Keynes for a "coffee" with a certain aero guy.

[Chuckjr]

I think the only beast left to conquer for Newey is Ferrari. If he ever leaves Red Bull, that's the one place on the grid which could provide him the perfect final chapter to his stellar career.

[Richard]

a limited company are under the companies act in the UK(maybe even EU) whereby any position has to be advertised.

That's balderdash and piffle.

I remember this from my consultancy days and dealing with QinetiQ. They would advertise a position for a specific role, but someone internally would already be lined up for it.

Possibly because QinetiQ was a state owned company at the time? The public sector operates to some peculiar rules in the name of transparency and cost saving, but the result is a impenetrable bureaucratic fog that wastes money.

[JohnsonsEvilTwin]

Fair enough Richard.

Please point me to why?
It may be that it was part state owned, but the literature I was given at Right4Staff indicated this was private sector practice too.
Oh and I 100% agree with the bureaucracy, its killing business.

[Richard]

It's hard to prove the absence of a regulation. Can you find the regulation that says so?

In my work I have been personally involved with creation of new roles that were filled internally without external advertising, often without internal advertising either. It's up to the company to choose if they wish to advertise externally or if they believe they have the right internal candidates. In contrast I have friends and family in the public sector how have been through the rigmorale of external advertising each time they changed role or had a promotion.

Of course it is no surprise that a recruitment agency says that best practice is to advertise all jobs, hopefully with a recruitment agency!

Anyway this is going off topic.

[JohnsonsEvilTwin]

I'll let it go, but I'm not overly convinced.
This was back in 2007, and roles from companies we dealt with(banking sector, defence) all had the same working practice.
Advertise for a role even if a candidate has been identified.

From memory this covers ALL companies from litigation for unfair practices ie a person interested in the role who would otherwise have been suitable for. This way someone at least gets into the initial phase of applying for the position.
The company can then decline them on whichever legal means they see fit.
A pompous show to appease the law, and that was law as per monstra mihi by my employers.

Similarly and very appropriate to this thread, do you not think Mercedes are following this protocol?
I find it very hard to believe they have not identified suitable targets to replace the outgoing Bigois. They are doing exactly what I have seen many companies do IMO, that is advertise for a job they already have candidates for.

[Richard]

There is the small problem that Merc aren't advertising for a senior aerodynamicist. http://www.mercedes-amg-f1.com/en/#/cat ... cruitment/

Also the terminology of "senior" in their adverts seems to be someone who reports to a head of department. I suspect "senior" is the word they use for "higher than standard grade". So theories of a new role for Willis or poaching Newey seem wide of the mark.

No apologies for using facts to dispel speculation.

[JohnsonsEvilTwin]

Ok, so who was stating it as fact richard? I was responding to the Maestro272 and gave my view. And if you didnt notice, there was quite a bit of tongue planted firmly in cheek. Or has F1technical become about only posting facts?

Also, is it ok to call someones post "balderdash and piffle"? Being a mod an all....

Constructively now, and very much on topic, who would be on Mercedes radar for this "senior aerodynamicist" role being advertised?

[xpensive]

...
I suspect "senior" is the word they use for "higher than standard grade".
...

Not at all, it refers to a staff-member who has come of a certain age, typically 50+ I believe.

[Richard]

Here's the wording from last year's advert for a "Senior Mechanical Design Engineer".

Mercedes AMG Formula One have an exciting opportunity for a highly motivated, innovative and performance driven Senior Mechanical Design Engineer with excellent design flair.Reporting to the Head of Mechanical Design, you will be responsible for the design, development and testing of high level suspension and driver control systems.
You will deliver projects ensuring that performance, reliability targets and deadlines are met.

Reporting to head of mechanical design shows that this is several levels down the hierarchy. It is also limited to suspension design & driver controls. So that would exclude other mechanical systems such as powertrain and hydraulics.

My point is that this mythical job title role would not be suitable for Willis, or need a Schumacher/Haug/Zetsche/Brawn convoy.

Lets get back on track. I think the conversation is trying to ask who would replace Bigois?

[atanatizante]

Now even Ferrari adopted the Macca exhaust solution!
That doesn`t trouble some minds on the Merc`s aero department?
One reason is that they didn`t concentrate on it because it doesn`t give them any advantage or they are now focused on other parts of the car, or they are taking a step by step approach, or finally they didn`t finished with their endless tyre problems ...
So what`s the truth?

[Mr.S]

They dont know how to integrate it or are probably worried about the Rear Tyres. There is BIG BIG performance in there compared to how close the field is.

Sauber are a team with limited budget & they had a great exhaust yet they have gone for the Mclaren one putting their small manpower,resource & money into it. Now Mclaren,Force India,Ferarri,Toro Rosso,Carteham,Sauber all run these exhausts.

There has to be Solid Performance coming from this,not half a tenth or 1 because smaller teams will not spend so much money & resource on it otherwise. Ferarri have tried now almost half a dozen variations of the exhaust & setlled on this.

I think there is atleast 2-3 tenths in there so that is 12-14 Seconds in 60-70 Lap Race. If someone can integrate & manage it well there is more to come. Less Tyre Wear,more rear downforce,more stable car & more balanced with less sliding.

I have been calling for this. 2-3 Tenths can change 4-5 Qualy positions & can decide a championship

[JohnsonsEvilTwin]

Maybe there is no time to be gained from the McLaren solution.

Maybe it opens up other avenues in regard to options for set up. Take away a bit here, add a bit there. One thing Mercedes do have is a quick car in the right conditions. They will have already simulated McLaren's exhaust on their sims, and for whichever reason have decided to either continue with their solution, or wait until the other solution has been refined.

It wasn't too long ago that people were berating this team for flinging updates on that didnt work. Let's wait and see how this season unfolds because the exhaust performance is not the performance differentiator this season IMO.
I think it is pretty much whoever turns up at a GP weekend and has their set up dialled into to the tyres and track.

[marcush.]

...
I suspect "senior" is the word they use for "higher than standard grade".
...

Not at all, it refers to a staff-member who has come of a certain age, typically 50+ I believe.

only a few years to collect under my belt then...

[skgoa]

Maybe there is no time to be gained from the McLaren solution.

Maybe it opens up other avenues in regard to options for set up. Take away a bit here, add a bit there. One thing Mercedes do have is a quick car in the right conditions. They will have already simulated McLaren's exhaust on their sims, and for whichever reason have decided to either continue with their solution, or wait until the other solution has been refined.

It wasn't too long ago that people were berating this team for flinging updates on that didnt work. Let's wait and see how this season unfolds because the exhaust performance is not the performance differentiator this season IMO.
I think it is pretty much whoever turns up at a GP weekend and has their set up dialled into to the tyres and track.

This + they have more of a "over the top" diffuser philosophy, instead of the RB style "seal the sides" way of doing things. Their mini-DDD and the increased flow over the diffusor might simply benefit them more. Note how they also have elected to delete the RW endplate extensions and have not re-added them.