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Quote:j-s
Saward doing his best to Captain Obvious impression:
"Elsewhere, the rumours are beginning to build about who will lead the Williams F1 technical team, as it is very clear that Paddy Lowe's leave of absence "for personal reasons" is PR chaff. Lowe is gone and there will no doubt be legal action at some point to find a settlement, but Williams now needs a carpetbeater to come in and get the place up to speed"
Quote:dot_com
Martin Brundle had this couple of paragraphs to say about Williams in Australia. The second paragraph struck me as a little strange - I’m not sure quite what he means, but he knows F1 just about as well as anyone.
“George Russell is doing all he can for Williams. He's a smart kid who networks the paddock well. And if he can outperform the car and his team-mate Robert Kubica he can survive a year in the slowest car with his reputation intact.
Somehow soon F1 and the teams are going to have to wade in and help Williams out of the mire they appear to have navigated themselves into. If they are not already doing so.”
Quote:j-s
Williams doesn't deserve other team's charity.
Quote:I agree. And given the position Williams is in, there's a good chance that the results will improve under a new TD and someone will want to take credit for it. Successful people generally love challenges and this is potentially a high risk but high reward opportunity for someone whose reputation is not established, yet.Andrew Hooper
There will no doubt be some people who could fill the position regardless of the position that Williams is in. It is not very often that a Technical head position becomes available so a lot of people would jump at the opportunity.
Quote:AlanJones
I think we can manage it on our own. Just time is the essence in everything.
The only question bothering me, is if Paddy should leave us.. who can and will take over? Who does dare to take on such a poisonous position at a team that is just a swamp of failed attempts to revive its once so glorious past.
Quote:Anderis
Successful people generally love challenges and this is potentially a high risk but high reward opportunity for someone whose reputation is not established, yet.
Quote:shriekbackQuote:AlanJones
I think we can manage it on our own. Just time is the essence in everything.
The only question bothering me, is if Paddy should leave us.. who can and will take over? Who does dare to take on such a poisonous position at a team that is just a swamp of failed attempts to revive its once so glorious past.
No offense, but you seem to be contradicting yourself here: 'Williams can do it on their own. How can Williams possibly do it?'
In response...
First, Paddy is gone. There is not even the slightest chance he took an actual leave of absence at the start of a new season, especially given the situation the team is in. Seriously, there is no chance. True, there hasn't been an official announcement, but it is only a matter of time. Also, Paddy did not "leave" Williams; he was sacked.
Second, who would dare replace him? A: Quite literally anyone who is qualified for the job but does not presently hold one of the other available nine F1 Technical Director positions in the world. I think the situation is very similar to that of qualified F1 drivers. You just don't turn down the opportunity to take the position when it presents itself because it will very likely never present itself again. Just ask Robert Kubica who could have taken a reserve/test role at Ferrari but didn't. Could he perhaps have parlayed success there into a race seat there or elsewhere later? Sure, but could he gamble on that mere possibility when a race seat, even though in a struggling team, was his now? No way. Would Esteban Ocon--or pretty much any qualified driver (besides Alonso) have refused it had it been offered to them instead? Not a chance.
I don't know who Williams will eventually hire to do the job, but I am certain they are getting interested calls from all over the paddock and beyond. That is where I think another team might see the larger health of the sport as at stake and give Williams a break by making it easier for one of theirs to take the job and to start sooner than later.
Quote:AlanJones
Its not contradicting. I do think Williams can fight their demons on their own without help from the paddock. The how part on how can they do it, is something I didnt state. Its something you made up. I only asked who would want to fill the TD spot.
Quote:Andrew Hooper
For Williams the cost of getting someone of a certain talent level is a big issue as I would imagine they would want to be careful how much they pay out.
Quote:GunkQuote:AlanJones
Its not contradicting. I do think Williams can fight their demons on their own without help from the paddock. The how part on how can they do it, is something I didnt state. Its something you made up. I only asked who would want to fill the TD spot.
I think they tried that last year, Alan. People were fired and not replaced. Lowe wasn't fired . . . though it was mooted at the summer break. 'Operation recovery' . . . we all pull together with what we have.' Well, that worked a charm.
Quote:AlanJonesQuote:shriekbackQuote:AlanJones
I think we can manage it on our own. Just time is the essence in everything.
The only question bothering me, is if Paddy should leave us.. who can and will take over? Who does dare to take on such a poisonous position at a team that is just a swamp of failed attempts to revive its once so glorious past.
No offense, but you seem to be contradicting yourself here: 'Williams can do it on their own. How can Williams possibly do it?'
In response...
First, Paddy is gone. There is not even the slightest chance he took an actual leave of absence at the start of a new season, especially given the situation the team is in. Seriously, there is no chance. True, there hasn't been an official announcement, but it is only a matter of time. Also, Paddy did not "leave" Williams; he was sacked.
Second, who would dare replace him? A: Quite literally anyone who is qualified for the job but does not presently hold one of the other available nine F1 Technical Director positions in the world. I think the situation is very similar to that of qualified F1 drivers. You just don't turn down the opportunity to take the position when it presents itself because it will very likely never present itself again. Just ask Robert Kubica who could have taken a reserve/test role at Ferrari but didn't. Could he perhaps have parlayed success there into a race seat there or elsewhere later? Sure, but could he gamble on that mere possibility when a race seat, even though in a struggling team, was his now? No way. Would Esteban Ocon--or pretty much any qualified driver (besides Alonso) have refused it had it been offered to them instead? Not a chance.
I don't know who Williams will eventually hire to do the job, but I am certain they are getting interested calls from all over the paddock and beyond. That is where I think another team might see the larger health of the sport as at stake and give Williams a break by making it easier for one of theirs to take the job and to start sooner than later.
Its not contradicting. I do think Williams can fight their demons on their own without help from the paddock. The how part on how can they do it, is something I didnt state. Its something you made up. I only asked who would want to fill the TD spot.
Quote:shriekbackQuote:j-s
Williams doesn't deserve other team's charity.
I'm not sure what you mean when you say this. In any case, if one or more teams were to offer Williams some help, it would definitely not be "charity." It is in no one's best interest--certainly not that of the other teams--for there to be a team that it totally out of the competition, much less for the field to shrink to 9 teams.
Quote:j-sQuote:shriekbackQuote:j-s
Williams doesn't deserve other team's charity.
I'm not sure what you mean when you say this. In any case, if one or more teams were to offer Williams some help, it would definitely not be "charity." It is in no one's best interest--certainly not that of the other teams--for there to be a team that it totally out of the competition, much less for the field to shrink to 9 teams.
Valid opinion, but I think it's unrealistic to think that laggards get (or should get) any help.
I guess I'm referring to the narrative of entitlement around Williams that always comes up when the team is not competitive. The history, the legacy, the championships, SFW, the philosophy, all of that. It comes up when there is nothing else to celebrate about the team. And it drives a storyline, in part, about how Williams is an essential part of F1 (which I find ridiculous with each passing year).
I don't think Williams is essential. Especially when they're so inept. That's why I said they don't deserve any charity.
On a side note... Williams will stay alive a long as they can pay for the operation. In a sense, Williams may be that most resistant team to dwindling WCC prize money. They won't disappear when the owner finds a new hobby, or when the manufacturer decides to quit the sport, or when sponsors leave en masse. F1 is everything for Williams and they budget accordingly, so perhaps (hopefully) they can weather this storm and keep competing (even at the back).
Quote:Shriek
Wow. You identify yourself as a Williams Supporter? If so, why?
Quote:Shriek
You seem to only dislike the team, they being in your eyes entitled, inessential, undeserving laggards
Quote:Shriek
That they have been around for over 40 years also means that they help define the sport for many fans.
Quote:Shriek
But then you are just saying that no one who needs help can deserve it. A weird view, I think. Are you perhaps a fan of Ayn Rand?
Quote:Shriek
you should be a Mercedes fan and root for power for its own sake.