Bold stuff from Zetsche today in Detroit

Or it might be his line in the sand?; i.e., do it in 2014 or we are done with F1.

Mercedes is a big outfit; if F1 something he focuses on? Here in the US, Mercedes customers surely don't care much....

 

This makes me wonder what sort of season 2013 will pan out to be. I have a feeling that a lot of teams will have a majority of their focus on 2014.

 

This isn't the first time the MB team (including Zetsche) have talked about fighting for the WDC.

I'll believe it when I see it.

 

Pretty much like any other is my guess;

- Someone(s) will come out of the box well - Hopefully, say, 3-4 teams in with a real chance.
- Someone(s) of these will get their development right and move forward. As long as they remain close (in with a chance of the title) they'll "forget" about 2014.
- The guys out of it will certainly concentrate on '14 from about mid-season.

Always been that way and always will be......

Cheers,
Ian

 

Could be, but I very much doubt it. My guess is they'll be around for at least 3-4 more years in order to amortize the new engine costs.

I'm sure Florian has better data, but yes - It's a pretty big line item that has already got some nay-sayers up in arms and he needs to defend it (?)

+1

My WAG is most Merc buyers don't know what F1 even is! Is it the same in Europe?....

Cheers,
Ian

 

Didn't you say on here last year that there is a huge connection between the F1 team and the MB sales force and that everybody knows about the team and is on board with it?

Reason I remember this is because I gave it a try and went to the local MB dealer (big shop) and F1 was not even close to their minds.

You'd have to live under a rock in Europe not to know about F1.

Wait a minute!
Last year you said that 2014 was the last year for the team to come up with real results. Put up or shut up were your words.

Now you just extended the goal post until 2016?

 

+1

MB will never get there, IMO.

 

Here is the full text...

http://formula-one.speedtv.com/article/f1-zetsche-mercedes-must-push-for-2014-formula-one-title/

... and this embodies my problems with how this team operates.

He admits the real problem is the chassis... and cites replacing a chairman and a driver????



This like you getting a flat tire on your way to work and calling your boss saying.. " I'll be late to today becuase I have a flat tire. But, I'm getting a new radio and changing the air filter so I may be a little late tomorrow, but when those new parst gel, I should beon time every day."

Makes no sense.

 

Actually makes a lot of sense:

As one of the top honchos Haug was also responsible for the development of the chassis.

As for the driver:
- for one he would still be around if he had accepted the team's offer in mid summer
- also maybe his feedback was not helpful to the engineers in developing the chassis

And before everybody pulls the "MS hater" card: Some of his supporters have stated on here more than once that MS' style is very different from Nico's and required a different way of the car turning in etc. So maybe it was impossible/difficult/not ideal to develop a chassis that had to support two different styles?

 

could you point me to a source that suggests Haug had any chassis design impact at all? It's my understanding that his was on oversight role, subordinated by Brawn, then Bell(or willis/costa). I've not read or heard that he had any direct technical involvement at all.

Also- to the driver issue. My point is that Zetsche made no mention of a driver concern and specifically pointed to the chassis as the problem.

I suppose if you believe the chassis problems emminate from unreliable driver feedback, or if you feel upper management has been derelict by mismanagement or misdirection of the technical staff.... then yes- it makes sense. That's reading more into the article than I feel is apparent.

 

Per the autosport link in another thread;

'Red Bull chief technical officer Adrian Newey suggested last year that the power units would become the critical factor in deciding the outcome of the 2014 championship.

Cowell believed it was too early to be specific about the impact the engines will have, but was confident that the importance of the engine manufacturer would be greater than it was now, a move he welcomed.

"We are putting the motor back in motorsport, but to what extent we will only know in 2014," he said. "It will definitely have more of an influence."

The new power units will produce the same 750hp figure of the current engines but a larger percentage of that will come from Energy Recovery Systems.

The current KERS currently produces 80hp for 6.7 seconds per lap, while the new ERS will deliver 161 hp for 33.3 seconds per lap.

Cowell said: "Today it is difficult to be quick without KERS - for 2014 it will be impossible to go racing without ERS."



Pity the backmarkers.

 

We can always say that! And there has been some crap at the back over the years However, as long as they can get within 107, I say "welcome!"

Worth noting again though that they'll all get supplied with "powertrains" come 2014. For sure, you're gonna need a good ERS, and we're a long way from knowing who's got it right, but they'll be fine - Even if still at the back......

Somewhat related, there's a story floating around that Force India may switch from Merc to Ferrari powertrains in 2014 - And they want Jules Bianchi in a race seat. I think this is the reason why FI are not announcing their 2nd jockey. I reckon Jules will be in a Ferrari powered FI in 2014.

Cheers,
Ian

 

The reason they're not announcing the 2nd jockey is because they're still trying to get a Bill Gates for that seat.
They're broke and it'd be a miracle if they make it to the first race. Let alone into 2014.

 

He was upper management with respect to Motorsport- yes.. I would suggest he was middle management relative to the Mercedes organization as a whole.

I disagree. Upper management are usually the last to go. Only when upper managements decisions become obviously inneffective are they at risk from the real upper management. Clearly- all opinions that matter suggest Mercedes return to F1 has fallen well short of expectations.

I think it's fair to say that Haug may not have implemented the necessary technical personnel or changes required to have a better chassis, as Zetsche comments is the "real problem" . But to say he was directy responsible for it misses the mark. Futher- his leaving, does nothing to correct the design system/team, that has been left behind. I would argue it is this system/team which IS directly responsible for the real problem.

Don't get me wrong- I think it correct that Haug accepted ultimate responsibility for the teams standing 3 years in, I just don't think his leaving or Lewis' coming is going to directly correct the real problem.

 

Ain't that the (often unfortunate!) truth!

+1 I think dear ol' Norbert became the fall guy. And that's fine too - Someone had to fall on their sword.

Another +1

Dunno who was responsible for all the new "talent" they've been hiring though (?) There's no way he knows one end of a tub from the other - Not his job.

And another! Fer sure, they can no longer use the jockeys as any kind of excuse. Their engines have always been good, so it's not those (see Mclaren for proof ).

They'll certainly be one of the more "interesting" teams on the grid next year.

Cheers,
Ian

 

You *may* be right. But for now at least they're adamant that's not the case;

May all be BS of course, but they're sounding bullish.....

Cheers,
Ian
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/105185

Almost out of Autosport views again

 

I hope I'm wrong.