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?

 

[racecub]

Very good Maybe he should have pulled his socks up and won 4 WDC and 4 WCC to equal 8 the shirker....

And how is mercedes meant to compete with McLaren for champioships when its only been in F1 for 3yrs. I guess they should pull their socks up!! Shirkers!!
Thats the point I was making

 

[Mephistopheles]

If Martin wasn't that fussed if Lewis stayed or went and wasn't going to sweeten the pot to make him stay that's your problem not his, it certainly doesn't make him a bad manager or a bad person he will do what's best for the team and not what's best for Lewis or his fans if they are upset by that then that's just tough titties...

 

[Viscount]

McLaren as a team have undoubtedly performed below their own high expectations in recent years, but if they do end up winning the 2012 Constructor's Championship that would kind if make Martin Whitmarsh the best team principal in F1 this year.

 

[racecub]

Mephistopholes I think whether or not Martin personally did or didnt want Lewis in the team, McLaren clearly did, because they upped their offer to try to keep him; but Lewis aside I'm just not impressed with Whitmarsh as a manager. Perhaps thats just funny me, But I dont rate him.

 

[Mephistopheles]

Nobody says you have to, I respect your opinion I just happen to disagree with it, I'm not sure how you can differentiate between McLaren and Martin though Martin runs the team, and also it was quite plain to see that Ron has been none to pleased with Lewis lately maybe it was the tweets maybe it was something else or a combination of things who knows but Ron's body language spoke much louder than his words when he was asked about Lewis and a new contract....

 

[FB]

Whitmarsh has now created the team he wants so let's see how it goes.

 

[The Pits]

FB I think more to the point, Whitmarsh now has the team that some believed that he wanted, I am not sure what we will ever find out about the more detailed and private discussions and reasons.

 

[Hamberg]

I'm getting Hamilton's next book when it arrives!

 

[RasputinLives]

I'm sure the rules of media savey etc etc will stop there being anythiny juicy in it whatsoever just like the last one. YOu'll need to wait until he's retired before you get anything but the "Mclaren were great but I needed a change" line of talk.

 

[KekeTheKing]

point...

It was directed towards Rasputin and I believe he understood the reference. Please view my comment in the context of that discussion.

 

[The Artist.....]

Hopefully now that Hamilton has signed for another team we can hear an end to all the innuendo that has been thrown at him ever since the start of 2010. As I have said on another thread, I do hope that this same negativity doesn't start getting thrown at Brawn if things go wrong at Mercedes....

The facts of the matter are that McLaren were negotiating with Hamilton and his representatives.
McLaren made an offer which was not acceptable to the Hamilton camp.
This offer was (reportedly) increased to match Mercedes' salary offer, but this was not acceptable.

McLaren (And hence Whitmarsh) clearly wanted to keep Hamilton on. Would they have been willing to spend any amount of money to do this? Of course not! - Any team that did this would be foolish in the extreme, and it was precisely this strategy that led to the mid '90s slump for McLaren!

As for Whitmarsh tearing up Hamilton's contract - there's also evidence that it was completely triggered by Anthony Hamilton wanting his son to move up to GP2 in 2005 - for no other reason than that! - and Whitmarsh openly said that if they wanted to do that they would have to do it without McLaren...

 

[Mephistopheles]

One of the most astonishing things for me was that Lewis stated he was not involved in any of the negotiations and he had not personally talked to Marin about his future he was just waiting for something to be put forward by his management team and see if he liked it or not...

Even so at the end of the day the final decision was in his hands...

 

[Brogan]

Just to clarify, although I think everyone has already worked it out, Whitmarsh was lying when he said there was no "plan B".
Perez has confirmed he lied during the press conference at SIngapore when he was asked whether any top teams had approached him,

http://www.jamesallenonf1.com/2012/10/perez-sometimes-we-just-have-to-mislead-the-media/

 

[Josh]

So? He's not the first and he won't be the last.

 

[The Pits]

He said no plan b if lewis was leaving.

Lewis was definitely leaving, so there was no if. Perez must have been plan a!!

 

[Mephistopheles]

I'm getting Hamilton's next book when it arrives!

Will that be the one written by XIX?

 

[cider_and_toast]

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.

 

[RasputinLives]

Goes to show you shouldn't always believe what you read on internet forums! Now Ron being pissed off with a driver leaving I can believe as we've seen it many times before.

 

[RasputinLives]

"Martin came to me beforehand and said whatever your decision is we will still put everything we have into helping you win the championship this season and thats why Martin is such and amazing manager and boss"

Lewis Hamilton in his interview with the BBC today

 

[Bill Boddy]

Yes, but Hamilton is only dealing with Whitmarsh at first hand, so he clearly does not know the situation as well as those who frequent internet fora.