Martin Whitmarsh

Well he's the man that's incharge at Mclaren but what do we all really know about the man named Martin Whitmarsh?

Well i can tell you that he has a degree in Mechanical Engineering. He started his career at British Aerospace (best known as BAE systems these days) as a structural analyst engineer at Hamble-le-Rice.

But in 1989 he was joined Mclaren as Head of Operations. In 1997 he was then promoted to Managing Directors role in which he was in charge of the F1 operation and it's partners and sponsors. In 2004 Martin was again promoted this time his position was CEO of the companies F1 operations.

It wasn't until the 1st March 2009 when Ron Dennis was stepping down from his position, as Team principal that Whitmarsh was promoted into that position.

Ever since Mclaren have had the following Championship standings since 2009:

2009: 3rd
2010: 2nd
2011: 2nd

All and all Whitmarsh's teams have been constitantly improving and he'll produce a championship winning team.

But why does Whitmarsh divide F1 fans opinions of him? Is it because he's not the loud and bouncing team principal that others are? Or is it the fact that he's not as good as Ron Dennis?

 

[The Artist.....]

Ron Dennis was once upon a time very famous for speaking in Ron-speak... It seems from his quotes today that Whitmarsh has picked this up as well! When discussing JB having an extra set of tyres for the race, he said:

"..... So we'll now work on a strategy that should optimise the efficacy of that unexpected development....."

 

[Brogan]

Translation: We'll come up with plan B.

 

[The Pits]

Translation:

Oh Bollocks!!

 

[Brogan]

I don't normally have much to say about Whitmarsh, but the way McLaren's season has gone, he deserves to shoulder at least some of the blame.

By all accounts they have had the fastest car for some of the season yet aren't even in the top two in both championships and are unlikely to win either with just four races remaining.

Additionally, they have lost the services of one of the top three drivers currently in F1, which is only going to harm the team going forward.

I can only link back to my opening post in the team thread... http://cliptheapex.com/threads/mclaren.3217/

 

[FB]

McLaren have underachieved since Honda left F1 with their most recent WCC in 1998. Both RD and MW appear to have struggled to put the total package together - designer/car/driver/strategy - so I think it's a bit unfair to single out Whitmarsh as the team has been under performing for some time and I still see the hand of Ron Dennis in a great deal to do with the F1 team. The only year they really showed what they could do was 2007 and we all know about that now don't we...

(and we won't be going there now will we folks?)

 

[Brogan]

Well Whitmarsh is the team prinicpal so ultimately he is responsible.

As for singling him out, my post in the team thread made it clear they have been under-achieving for a long time now.

 

[FB]

Agreed MrB, I just wonder if he is just a titular factotum?

 

[racecub]

I read an interview with Hamilton in the last couple of days (can't remember which on sadly) where he spoke about his relationship with Whitmarsh in the warmest of terms. Actually saying he had been like a brother to Hamilton. I was actually quite amused by the language used. Another thing that came out of the same article is an apparent lack of that same warm feeling between Ron Dennis and Hamilton. In the interview Hamilton states he spoke personally to Whitmarsh to confirm he had accepted Mercs offer but that he has not spoken to Dennis despite trying to contact him (yeah, I know that sounds odd).

I also believe that the various contract talks between Hamiltons people and various teams have been going on for 9 months.

I read that article too. Lewis has been working with Martin for 14years, so something must have been ok.Though now we are hearing reports that relationships within McLaren are in meltdown. they certainly appear frosty.
I still maintain Whitmarsh hasn't managed his drivers well. And for a team with one of the top three drivers and a car that has sometimes been the class of the field, their results are way off the mark. some of this has to come back to Whitmarsh. they now don't have a top driver, and that happened on his watch. Whatever Whitmarsh,s personal view of Lewis, he's lost a top driver, lets see how he gets on with Button, who he seems to like very, very much, and Perez.

 

[RickD]

racecub - They do have a top driver, just because you don't like that driver, does not mean he is not a top driver, he even has a WDC to his name. As for the relationship between Lewis and Martin, Lewis said it all when he was talking about their relationship in the TV interview before Japan, his body-language was very relaxed when talking about Martin, not so when he was talking about Ron though.

Perceive what you want and make digs all you want, apart from a few operation areas, I tend to think Martin is doing a very good job, especially when it comes to looking after petulant drivers.

 

[canis]

I think McLaren may need to learn some lessons from Ferrari with respect to structuring their team in the corporate world. They need to seperate the F1 team away from the rest of the rapidly expanding and big spending McLaren corporation. Martin should not have any other responsibilities other than the team, if that is not what he wants then get a team principle in who does want the job and let Martin get on with his coporate career. The problem they have is that everyone is becoming a little too dilute at times and they take their eye off the ball. I don't think this is anyones fault really, just the way things have grown over the years and the lessons not being learnt.

Personally if I were Martin I would only be on the McLaren board in respect of F1, turn up, give my reports, get the decisions I needed and then leave, have no other involvement in the rest of McLaren as this will only over extend my capacities and mean I am not wholey concentrated on the job at hand. Take more ime with the team, more time working through the issues and not delegate so much to people who haven't so far delivered what is needed...

 

[The Pits]

Whichever way you slice it, this year has been a poor year operationally for McLaren. They have had a fast car, but the return on that has been nowhere near where it could have been.

Wherever the fault may be, the blame can and should be, at least partially shouldered by Martin Whitmarsh. I have been a supporter of Martin previously, however, there have been more issues this year than I can recall in the past, and these need to be adressed.

I would think that the shareholders, and those who Martin is answerable to will have a say in matters going forward, but I would also add, that we generally tend to only get the soundbites and titbits that the team either cannot help but release, or that are released anyway.

For example, how much of the operation is Martin actually allowed to control? How deep are the changes that need to be made?

As an illustration, Martin inherited a team which operated a dual design/build strategy, where 2 teams of designers were responsible for alternate years. This was disbanded, (I believe in early 2011) and the car has been the better for it.

How many other aspects are there which need changing?

I am not saying he should not have a grip of the standard operational stuff, simply saying that some things can take a little more to fix than others. It is up to the shareholders to decide, and hopefully, the shareholders have the pulse of the feeling of the fans.

 

[The Pits]

After some pointless, yet interesting off topic rambings, a new thread has been created here:

http://cliptheapex.com/threads/thou-shalt-counteth-to-three.5596/

Still a little miffed no one got me film reference...

 

[Jen]

I think a couple of us did The Pits, but chose to ignore it

 

[The Artist.....]

After some pointless, yet interesting off topic rambings, a new thread has been created here:

http://cliptheapex.com/threads/thou-shalt-counteth-to-three.5596/

Still a little miffed no one got me film reference...

[I got the film reference.... The holy hand grenade of antioch - and tittered away quietly to myself... Then I thought I would go and say "Nee!" to some passers by!

 

[Quintessentially]

 

[Jen]

Who would want to be in his shoes?

 

[racecub]

He doesn't look a happy chappy. I thought he would have been excited at the prospect of 2013.

 

[Brogan]

What nonsense.
That image could convey anything at all: he's forgotten his wife's birthday, trying to add up the cost of his groceries, rubbing his temples because he has a headache/eye strain, shit! I left the oven on two weeks ago, etc.

To claim that it's because he's unhappy at the prospect of 2013 is ludicrous.

 

[The Pits]

The picture was from the Korean GP.

Maybe it was taken after lap 1.

He would probably have cheered up when he heard lewis had an issue

 

[teabagyokel]

Though it is entirely possible that is the reaction to Hamilton going slow/attaching astroturf to his car.