Il_leone
World Champion
In the argument of why when it comes to F1 driver A fulfilled their potential and driver B did not despite being talented and just as impressive in junior formula than driver A. The usual theories are driver favouritism or supposed conspiracies against one driver or bad management from the team boss / principal.
So for a bit of fun I thought I 'd just put a poll out to select the worst team principal in F1 from the 70's onwards. There are no particular order just a few notorious ones I can remember for the wrong reasons in F1
Briatore - Claims he knows how to find talent - Alonso and Schumacher but is littered with a history of mismanagement of other driver careers - Herbert, Button, Fisi, Trulli, Piquet Jr, Bourdais.
Known for his commission earnings in choosing drivers from his own stable whilst being team boss
Finally burned too many bridges with crashgate afte Piquet Jr had enough of his bullying
Dennis - the perfectionist known for his bad loser sulking in charge of two of the sports most intense rivalries in his team. At certain points accused of favouring one driver over another despite promising team equality. Spygate battered his reputation
Todt - the master politician able to bend the rules in Ferrari's favour and was unrepentant about Austria 2002 saying it was business. Also was adamant Schumacher was no 1 and undermined Irvine's position in 1999 offering little support for his title quest
Whitmarsh - more relaxed than Dennis but has not stopped accusations of favouritism and failing to deliver Mclaren success with basic team errors occurring from time to time
Fry - Took Honda from being top 4 team to back of the grid and is lucky he still has a role at Mercedes
Marko - the guy pretty much decides who drives for Red Bull and STR. Whenever he talks no one challenges him within the camp except maybe Webber
Horner - his handling of Turkey 2010, Silverstone 2010 and Silverstone 2011 was pathetic especially when Helmut opens his mouth he seems to change his tune all of a sudden
EJ - sacking Frentzen in the middle of the season 2001 and then getting Pantano to bring in sponsors so to fund the team and pay for Heidfeld as well for 2004
VJ - his treatment of Sutil and Liuzzi in making use of the 3rd driver
Kolles - Did not do much at Spyker and HRT and known to be difficult
Schnaeder - Was proven to be a fake Russian millionaire after buying Jordan on a knockdown price and realised F1 was really expensive to dabble in
Ligier - Apparently known for throwing a wobbler if anyone dared to criticised him and his mates for failing to make better use of the team with the 4th biggest budget at the time
Sassetti - the guy was charged for fraud by forging an invoice after realising F1 was expensive despite having a successful italian shoe company. This included allowing Perry McCarthy out of the pits with only 50 seconds left for practice
Chapman - the greatest designer is here because of the water bottle row of 1982 and unwillingly to admit he was cheating when quizzed by a journalist at car launch. After his death later records found fraudulent activity when he was in charge of Lotus
Rahal/ Ressler for making a complete mess of the foundations of Stewart team and disgracing the Jaguar name. Rahal was sacked for offering IRvine to Jordan. Ressler did a crazy deal where Burti was paid by sponsors and the team
Luca - the shameful treatment of forcing out Lauda and his race engineer in 1977 along in cahoots with rest of Maranello because Lauda surrendered the title in 1976 not wanting to risk his life after nearly getting killed by making Reutemann NO 1 through favouritism in development and testing. Also getting G Villeneuve a run to replace Lauda
Also the poor treatment of Capelli in 1992 who saw a dream turn into a nightmare - Massa take note
Prost - failure to build upon the teams first season in becoming the all French team
Walkinshaw - sacking Verstappen when Frentzen became available and in turn double crossed Orange who withdrew shortly afterwards and with it the team went under
Tyrell - allegedly favoured Katayama over Blundell in 1994. Previously in charge of the team being thrown out in 1985 and also bowing to sponsors to run the team at Imola in breaking ranks from the other British teams over the water bottle row
Williams - for ruthlessly dispensing Mansell and Hill who actually did better than their replacements
Akiga - done for the fraud which also lead to the demise of March not long after that
Toyota team principals - No wins and signed Schumacher but the wrong one having spent $400m each year since 2002
Thiessen - what team principal would stop development to help the weaker driver when their other driver leads the world championship and is driving out of his skin ?
So for a bit of fun I thought I 'd just put a poll out to select the worst team principal in F1 from the 70's onwards. There are no particular order just a few notorious ones I can remember for the wrong reasons in F1
Briatore - Claims he knows how to find talent - Alonso and Schumacher but is littered with a history of mismanagement of other driver careers - Herbert, Button, Fisi, Trulli, Piquet Jr, Bourdais.
Known for his commission earnings in choosing drivers from his own stable whilst being team boss
Finally burned too many bridges with crashgate afte Piquet Jr had enough of his bullying
Dennis - the perfectionist known for his bad loser sulking in charge of two of the sports most intense rivalries in his team. At certain points accused of favouring one driver over another despite promising team equality. Spygate battered his reputation
Todt - the master politician able to bend the rules in Ferrari's favour and was unrepentant about Austria 2002 saying it was business. Also was adamant Schumacher was no 1 and undermined Irvine's position in 1999 offering little support for his title quest
Whitmarsh - more relaxed than Dennis but has not stopped accusations of favouritism and failing to deliver Mclaren success with basic team errors occurring from time to time
Fry - Took Honda from being top 4 team to back of the grid and is lucky he still has a role at Mercedes
Marko - the guy pretty much decides who drives for Red Bull and STR. Whenever he talks no one challenges him within the camp except maybe Webber
Horner - his handling of Turkey 2010, Silverstone 2010 and Silverstone 2011 was pathetic especially when Helmut opens his mouth he seems to change his tune all of a sudden
EJ - sacking Frentzen in the middle of the season 2001 and then getting Pantano to bring in sponsors so to fund the team and pay for Heidfeld as well for 2004
VJ - his treatment of Sutil and Liuzzi in making use of the 3rd driver
Kolles - Did not do much at Spyker and HRT and known to be difficult
Schnaeder - Was proven to be a fake Russian millionaire after buying Jordan on a knockdown price and realised F1 was really expensive to dabble in
Ligier - Apparently known for throwing a wobbler if anyone dared to criticised him and his mates for failing to make better use of the team with the 4th biggest budget at the time
Sassetti - the guy was charged for fraud by forging an invoice after realising F1 was expensive despite having a successful italian shoe company. This included allowing Perry McCarthy out of the pits with only 50 seconds left for practice
Chapman - the greatest designer is here because of the water bottle row of 1982 and unwillingly to admit he was cheating when quizzed by a journalist at car launch. After his death later records found fraudulent activity when he was in charge of Lotus
Rahal/ Ressler for making a complete mess of the foundations of Stewart team and disgracing the Jaguar name. Rahal was sacked for offering IRvine to Jordan. Ressler did a crazy deal where Burti was paid by sponsors and the team
Luca - the shameful treatment of forcing out Lauda and his race engineer in 1977 along in cahoots with rest of Maranello because Lauda surrendered the title in 1976 not wanting to risk his life after nearly getting killed by making Reutemann NO 1 through favouritism in development and testing. Also getting G Villeneuve a run to replace Lauda
Also the poor treatment of Capelli in 1992 who saw a dream turn into a nightmare - Massa take note
Prost - failure to build upon the teams first season in becoming the all French team
Walkinshaw - sacking Verstappen when Frentzen became available and in turn double crossed Orange who withdrew shortly afterwards and with it the team went under
Tyrell - allegedly favoured Katayama over Blundell in 1994. Previously in charge of the team being thrown out in 1985 and also bowing to sponsors to run the team at Imola in breaking ranks from the other British teams over the water bottle row
Williams - for ruthlessly dispensing Mansell and Hill who actually did better than their replacements
Akiga - done for the fraud which also lead to the demise of March not long after that
Toyota team principals - No wins and signed Schumacher but the wrong one having spent $400m each year since 2002
Thiessen - what team principal would stop development to help the weaker driver when their other driver leads the world championship and is driving out of his skin ?