Haug is a goner

http://www.planetf1.com/driver/18227/8333081/Haug-Someone-had-to-go

No real shock but Lauda's inclusion certainly didnt help Norbert's longevity.

 

Makes sense really and I cannot say I don't blame him. Shake things up a bit and see what happens.

 

Makes no sense whatsoever to me..... While history is no guarantee of future results etc;

Haug; 22 years at this level. Multiple WD/CC's under his watch. Very successful programs in many other series'.

Niki; A failed (twice?) team principal & a known blowhard.

Reading some of his comments I think he decided to fall on his sword - Possibly rather than being pushed out, but I think it's gonna be a trainwreck unless they do a Newey next year.

Cheers,
Ian

 

Based on Mercedes current financial situation and Norbert Haug departure. I think what may happen in the next year or so is Mercedes will put the team up for sale and go back to being an engine supplier. There are rumors that part of Hamilton's deall with Mercedes was backed by Monster Energy, due to Coca Cola possibly buying them and going after Rebbull. So there can be a possibility that Mercdes team can be Monster Energy team in the near future. Just my thoughts.

 

Show me where either Coke or Pepsi are willing to risk the resources to pluck them as you predict. In fact Red Bull are so far ahead of them its laughable. They are continuing to see increases in sales. Not declines is Red Bull. Their market share in the US alone is 40% and higher in other markets.

Red Bull is the 'Coke' of the energy drink world. Coke and its lesser competitor would love to be in that position. They wont be anytime soon. The Red Bull company is hardly crumbling. Fact is Coke and the rest are very very late to the party.

As the market grows more products appear in concert diluting those without a very established brand. Red Bull have little to actually worry about in that instance. Monster is the next biggest competitor in terms of sales in 2011 numbers that I have found. Red Bull is THE brand in the energy drink world.

 

Coke is thinking of entering F1 as a sponsor using Lucozade brand drink. Per the press reports of late. I could see them buying Monster. Its the only real competitor to Red Bull in the very crowded energy drink segment.

 

I give Mercedes 2 more years to stand up, win consistently with LH or its done. Bernie only wants 10 teams.

 

I think Coca Cola just did a deal with Lotus for next year.

 

Here you go. Coca Cola entering F1 with the Burn energy brand? Never heard of that one.

http://www.worldmotorsports101.com/2012/11/22/coca-cola-announces-sponsorship-of-lotus-formula-one-team-for-2013/

 

Agreed. Redbull market share has been increasing, but not as much as Monster Energy. Together they control 70 percent of the overall Energy Drink market, with Redbull having 40 percent and Monster having 30 percent. The remaining 30 percent is split between 12 companies.

 

Very much sounds like Coke. Stable never really shifting market share with small bumps either side the curve.

 

If you mean a profit driven enterprise yes.
But I suspect they mean run more professionally. Which may, or may not, be a plus.

 

+1 What the hell is "Burn"?

Certainly never seen it around me. Anyone? Europe only maybe?

Reminds of the guy who thought "NoS" was a fuel supplement and broke his motorbike when it reached the engine....

Cheers,
Ian

 

interesting article on Autosport about Haug 'accepting responsibility' for The F1 teams lack of success. He confirms that any further restructure in the team would be decided by the board.

Further restructure by 'the board' doesn't so much bother me if it's advised heavily by Ross Brawn, but that just isn't mentioned is it.

 

I've never heard of it either.

 

The mere fact that the board gets involved in the decision making process of the F1 team underlines my theory for their lack of success.

 

We have all known exactly who was in charge and who isn't. No question about that at all.

 

You may very well be right. It's in their best interest to give free reign to Ross and just write checks to him, but I have no idea if that's happening, I suspect not though really. Perhaps Brawn/Lauda combo with Norbert leaving changes things at a fundamental level?

MB have just $70m per anum invested in the team which I suppose isn't a bad price of admission, but they still need to provide results worthy of the name carried on the machine.

I can't be sure of it really. We know the board writes the checks but are they really that inept and dare I saw arrogant to attempt micromanaging Ross Brawn? If that were the case I doubt Brawn could have secured much of the high end talent he has, but who knows right.

I stated some time ago that perhaps the board's involvement is a mandatory Daimler process in that the board fully controls or at least has a heavy part to play in controlling all of its assets or technically speaking it's not a 'Daimler/Mercedes' product or effort. This is what may have prompted the idea of making the team not called 'Mercedes' and simply called 'AMG' which would then make the F1 team a derivative of AMG which is controlled by the board, but F1 would not be directly controlled by the board even though that's where the cashflow is still coming from. I'm not a corporate attorney but the above would make sense to me if Daimler's intentions were to hand the reigns to Brawn, but legally speaking in the corporate board world they weren't specifically allowed.

 

If they can last through next season Brawn and MB should be well positioned for the new engine formula.

 

Why?

 

Because Ross has shown a talent for hitting the ground running when the rules change.

Merry Christmas.

 

You mean that one time?

 

Mercedes have an opportunity to custom tailor an engine to their platform, including understanding all power band characteristics of the engine much quicker than if an engine were supplied. This is indeed a good position. The 2014 contender will be Mercedes first 100% for Mercedes car they will build as a team since the 50s. Excited much?

 

Based on the results so far, it's hard to be excited.

 

Agreed. If anything I'm excited about the proper rebirth of a long dead team, which is how I see the 2014 car with proper 100% Built for Mercedes F1 team engine. Their current V8 is of course a Merc product but it wasn't built for their F1 team, so IMO it's as if the works team are getting Mclaren's dirty leftovers.