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From what I understand, Newey left Williams because Frank Williams and Patrick Head promised that he would be consulted on important decisions like driver selection, but then they reneged on the deal. At McLaren, he apparently rubbed up Ron Dennis the wrong way by insisting on having a physical drawing board instead of doing everything in CAD and Dennis got so pissed off that he threw all the papers off Newey's desk onto the floor. At Red Bull, he was basically given free reign to run the technical department as he wanted. If he goes to Ferrari, he will be stuck with a technical department built by other people and he will face constant pressure from above and if he didn't win the championship within a couple of years, he would probably face the same fate as his predecessors. I can't see him being interested in that.
Do we think there's any truth in the rumours that Horner was trying to buy the Red Bull F1 team...
https://www.autoracing1.com/pl/421352/formula-1-rumor-a-major-new-twist-in-the-horner-red-bull-saga/
More likely he’ll sack the whole thing off and sail his new yacht* https://oysteryachts.com/new-sailing-yachts/oyster-885/adrian-newey-building-my-oyster/
So not only can he design the best f1 car of the current regs he can do it working apart time so he has time to do projects like this. The other reams designers must feel really rubbish
He didn't actually design the car himself. Apparently he focused his attention on the suspension. As technical director, he would have kept an eye on the other stuff but the work was done by others under his management. Those are the people that he hired and trained so he deserves the credit, but he doesn't really design the cars himself anymore.
"At McLaren, he apparently rubbed up Ron Dennis the wrong way by insisting on having a physical drawing board instead of doing everything in CAD and Dennis got so pissed off that he threw all the papers off Newey’s desk onto the floor. "
Seems deeply unlikely that a man so committed to neatness would make a mess. I'm calling bullshizzle on that.
I've Newey's book, I know the stories*. But I bet Ron never swept papers off anyone's desk.
* Which is excellent, BTW.
Yup, that's in his book too. Arrived at McLaren and everything was corporate grey, wasn't having it. It wasn't a great start to their relationship
"Here’s the office paint story:
> https://www.planetf1.com/news/ron-dennis-almost-fired-adrian-newey <"
Yep, as stated 4 minutes previously, I know the stories. Now find me the one where Ron swept the papers off the desk.
Now find me the one where Ron swept the papers off the desk.
It's the sexy version of the story
Heh! I don't think they NEED sexing up. 🙂
I know Ron got someone to re-spray his kitchen cabinets a slightly different shade of grey, because he wasn’t happy with the almost identical previous grey.
Not seen him for a while but he used to paint the cars.
No idea if he still does, next time I bump into him I’ll try and remember to ask for Ron stories.
I suspect any stories will be just as dull.
More drama!...
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/68478049
...the sport is imploding - I'm starting to think there's a new FISA/FOCA war going on, and a break-away series will be threatened soon. There's a lot of unhappy people in the paddock.
the-muffin-man
Full MemberMore drama!…
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/68478049
…the sport is imploding – I’m starting to think there’s a new FISA/FOCA war going on, and a break-away series will be threatened soon. There’s a lot of unhappy people in the paddock.
LMAO what the hell is going on
Even Marina Hyde of the Guardian is getting in on the act...
I hope Marina took the day off after writing Keeping up with the Karcrashians
Didn’t the drain covers get dislodged in LV?
Now I’m wondering if the whistleblower is trying to distract from their bad work, or if Ben popped down to the track and loosened them off.
I've always told people to treat F1 like a soap opera - most races are boring, you have to follow the drama behind the scenes as it unfolds through the season. I liked this bit from Marina Hyde:
You’d think one of the drivers would be the de facto star of Drive to Survive, but I have to tell you it is Horner. With the possible exception of about three 19-year-old footballers, no one in world sport has wanted to be famous quite as much as Christian Horner. He came to the realisation of this ambition comparatively late in life (he is 50), and consequently has yet to settle into his “easy charm” years. A hilariously unbearable short king, Horner is forever organising cursed clay pigeon shooting events and playing to the cameras on the pit wall, or inviting them to capture him and Geri trotting along on their horses in the Cotswolds, or being filmed asking his children leading questions about what they most wish for. “What about Max winning the world championship?” As his small daughter once put it somewhat brutally on camera: “That’s your wish.”
LV drain covers - it was the bit that the drain covers were bolted to that came loose, not the actual drain covers according to the article.
Annoyingly, the new Saudi track looks quite interesting.
https://twitter.com/Scuderiascoop/status/1764970208739909863
The Disney-fication of modern F1 is accelerating depressingly rapidly.
nickc
Full MemberThe Disney-fication of modern F1 is accelerating depressingly rapidly.
doubt it'll look anything like this, but it seems like wipEout was the vibe they were going for:
https://twitter.com/Formula_Nerds/status/1764967999713255805
doubt it’ll look anything like this, but it seems like wipEout was the vibe they were going for:
Does that mean they can barge each other off the track!? 🙂
It really feels like Alpine are in deep trouble. Are they going to make it the end of the season even? I hope so, it looks like they have been really hobbled by the engine freeze though
I hope so, it looks like they have been really hobbled by the engine freeze though
...and which fizzy drink company owned team was behind that little scheme!? 🤬
it looks like they have been really hobbled by the engine freeze though
They really only have themselves to blame. Ferrari managed to produce a competitive engine after a poor start to the new engine regulations, Honda had a disastrous start but turned it around to produce the best engine on the grid. Renault just spent 10 years constantly promising that next year would be better, but it never was.
Another engineer leaves Alpine
I’m intrigued by the phrase “a true mutual agreement”. Partly because it implies the obvious but rarely acknowledged truth that all the other mutual agreements weren’t, but also because you wonder who mutually agreed it first.
Didn't Ghosan once tell Horner when Renault supplied their engines that Renault were only in F1 becasue his marketing team had sold it to the Renault board as essentially another form of advertising?
Saudi Arabia this week, round 2 of the Red Bull/Verstappen/FIA shenanigans, I'm beginning to get bored with it all.
If the on track action was as dramatic, it would be a classic season.
I expect another dreary procession behind the caffeine cars
Any bets on when Jos will nip out to an Internet cafe near the circuit and send another anonymous email?
Any bets on when Jos will nip out to an Internet cafe near the circuit and send another anonymous email?
According to Benson he's rallying this week..... 🤔
"Saudi Arabia this week, round 2 of the Red Bull/Verstappen/FIA shenanigans, I’m beginning to get bored with it all."
I'm not....yet. I think maybe one more race, possibly two, and it might start to feel like a bit of a drag, although it's also very possible that I'll never get tired of watching Red Bull tear itself apart
Yeah after hearing about LeClerc's brakes, Mercedes cock up with cooling etc etc, I'll give it another go, but honestly it's not looking good for actual 'racing' though.
The woman who accused Christian Horner of inappropriate behaviour has been suspended by Red Bull.
It is unclear exactly why she has been stood down. A weeks-long investigation into the allegations by an independent barrister cleared Horner of wrongdoing.
A Red Bull spokesperson said: “The company cannot comment on this internal matter”.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/formula-1/2024/03/07/christian-horner-accuser-suspended-by-red-bull/
WTAF...
Press: At least with the attention on Horner's relationship with the Verstappen family the spotlight is off the woman at the centre of Horner's alleged behaviour
RB: Hold my beer...
Classic
When I was working on a well known cooking competition tv show, one of the two presenters (who was married) whisked a runner, who was well under half his age, away for a dirty weekend. Guess which one stopped turning up for work
So sweet to see two people so obviously in love.
[im
I'm even more convinced he did it now.
Is she trying to wrestle herself free?^^