Norbert Haug to leave Mercedes

This has been discussed plenty already. Consider it shorthand for "left by mutual agreement". In 99% of cases, that's what it usually is and is just a face-saving measure for both parties.

Edited by Sakae, 14 December 2012 - 07:19.

http://www.youtube.c...p;v=V9UU0b8m7Us

This is a video of Raikkonen's first pole and how I first came to be impressed by Haug, His passion for success and racing was very evident at the end of this video where he was overjoyed by Kimi's breakthrough and was cheering and pounding on the console at the pit wall. Hopefully he will be able to return to the pit wall sometime very soon.

This is a great pole lap video, no announcers just awesome racing sounds, horns and a cheering crowd!



48062

Edited by jstrains, 14 December 2012 - 07:45.

Convincing the Mercedes board to buy a racing team when every other manufacturer was fleeing from F1 was a pretty incredible achievement.

I was surprised when I saw these news... not good news for Lewis

It would be worrying if Lewis did not know, though.

I would have to assume that this was decided some time ago and that everyone, including Lewis, knew the plans for 2013. This is just a good time to announce it, and start to reshuffle the team.

It would be worrying if Lewis did not know, though.

Edited by jjcale, 14 December 2012 - 09:00.

This has been discussed plenty already. Consider it shorthand for "left by mutual agreement". In 99% of cases, that's what it usually is and is just a face-saving measure for both parties.

Edited by jjcale, 14 December 2012 - 10:53.

Was that Nico Rosberg cheering at the end of the video?

Edited by wiry, 14 December 2012 - 09:24.

Yep, that's definitely him wearing Kimi Raikkonen cap

A pretty big difference.

Why, I recall when Ferrari came to the conclusion you couldn't quite call it a Ferrari when it was being designed in England.

Its also shorthand for "lost a power struggle" ... which I think is more likely in his case since new senior people have joined and carved up his role - and he cant really be held responsible for Merc sucking... as others have said, that's Ross' fault.

I would have to assume that this was decided some time ago and that everyone, including Lewis, knew the plans for 2013. This is just a good time to announce it, and start to reshuffle the team.

It would be worrying if Lewis did not know, though.

Edited by Sakae, 14 December 2012 - 16:16.

No I still don't see any difference. It'll still be a Ferrari wherever it's made.

The way it was done, seems to indicate a rather sudden development, either on a personal level on Haug's side, or on company (Daimler) side. Something like a hidden massive budget overrun, or some questionable expenses etc. etc.
Not saying that he did anything wrong/untoward, just pointing to some possible scenarios, which could result in such sudden decisions.
Maybe some of this will come to light over the next month.

Along the same lines, what do we make out of the changes at MHPE (new MD there as well), just a coincident not related to Haug's departure, or part of a more general management shake up across the whole F1 project?

This is just Tyrrell/BAR/Honda/Brawn GP with a silver paint job.

I was surprised when I saw these news... not good news for Lewis

If it's called a Mercedes, run by Mercedes, and owned by Mercedes, it's a Mercedes.

Until they pull out and sell it all.

I agree. This gotta be a first "slap in the face" or first "disappointment" for Lewis presented by Mercedes and the season hasn't even started yet Norbert Haug was the man behind his career just like Ron and Martin, a well known face to him and I'm sure that when he heard this news he was very disappointed. It's a shame that they are already separated from the start, that is something that I wasn't expecting from Mercedes. Oh well, good luck to both of them.

Until then though, it is a Mercedes. They have the money, the resources, the right staff, and the right drivers. If they can't make that work within a couple of years, they should pull out. So what exactly is your point here? Or maybe you have none.

Haug is not the scapegoat here, though I did think along those lines at first. If he accepted responsibility, then he did it because he had responsibility. He did it with dignity, too. As I said, he will be missed, whatever the results of the past three seasons were.

I do not quarrel with your assessment, and tend to agree that earmarks are there, but perhaps Haug is falling in that minority of cases, when this is exception. One cannot dismiss that we are here not talking about Benson / BBC style of announcements, but a reputable, conservative firm which always muted their public statements, thus I would consider this one quite normal. Haug was never known to talk as much as some other people in the paddock (Whitmarsh, Hembery, Marko, and LdM to name a few). At the end it is none of our business, but conceivably you cannot dismiss possibility that the man might have resigned from his own for numerous of reasons, such as health, frustration, family (after he heard what Schumacher had to say about missing his wife and kids), and there could be others, including some internal friction, all of which should slow you down with conclusion that he was asked to leave. We simply do not know.

If this is true, then why not be forthcoming with the reason?

The fact there isn't a real reason speaks volumes IMO.

If it's called a Mercedes, run by Mercedes, and owned by Mercedes, it's a Mercedes.

If this is true, then why not be forthcoming with the reason?

The fact there isn't a real reason speaks volumes IMO.

Edited by Alx09, 14 December 2012 - 22:56.

Apparently, he became involved, when Haug/Brawn/Fry could not reach agreement with FOM/Bernie for the new Concord Agreement.
The board of Daimler brought him (Lauda) in as an external consultant, to cut a deal with his old amigo Bernie on behalf of Mercedes.
After he got them that deal, he seemed to be sticking around, being made chairman of the board of directors at MGP.

Edited by Sakae, 15 December 2012 - 09:07.

None-executive director.(Wiki explains sufficiently what that title represents). Lauda himself, in some interviews, is not considering this role as a full time job for him, hich leaves me gasping for air. I am of course speculating, but I take it that he is now a rudder for the board (F1 steering "committee"), rather than being involved on day-to-day operations. Added speculation on my part is, that Haug weighted all factors, this being one of them, and has not bought into this concept as a workable and tolerable solution for him.

Does that leave a space for Schumacher to be involved with the team, then, or will he just drift away into the sidelines?

I am not sure, but basic question is, if he wants to be involved? My instinct tells me, that not really. He has learned probably a lesson or two with Ferrari, and I can't see drivers cooperating with him at all. Language Brawn used recently was fuzzy, but in some minor way indicative that Schumacher likes performace cars, and might be perhaps in some role linked to AMG division (yet to be defined), but perhaps not directly to F1 operations. IMO he would be crazy even to try it for 2013 with Haug gone, and Lauda riding a broom stick.

Is merce testing Raoul Silva's theory about rats?I set my bet on Lauda then.

Guess someone had to fall on his sword for the lack of results.

Too bad it was Norby.

While Haug insists that the decision was by mutual consent, he admits that results where the deciding factor in the decision.

"There is always somebody who has to accept overall responsibility," he told German news agency SID.

"Of course we have had our successes in the past three years, but not consistently enough so a direction had to be set and a marker laid down."

There has been speculation that Haug's departure was as a result of Niki Lauda's arrival at the team in October as non-executive chairman.

However, Haug has refuted such suggestions.

"I would like to once again make it clear that this is a decision that the board and myself reached jointly by mutual agreement," he said.

"Niki had absolutely nothing to do with it. We get on and respect each other just like we have done for many years and that is not about to change."

makes one wonder, all those bad years in Mclaren did nothing, but 2 bad years in mercedes (which i believe he wasn't responsible, brawn and the brackley team are the real culprits) made boffins at mercedes tick ....

Edited by Risil, 15 December 2012 - 19:53.

It seems he took the fall for Brawn, or if you want to look at it from a different perspective, fro the team. It is a constant problem of mine, not having any information coming out of this team. I really don't know exactly what Haug's function in the team was. If he had an active role in the operation itself, he is sure to have a certain level of responsibility in the marked lack of success so far. If he was only channeling the money to the team, and he did not play an active role in the operation itself, he still has a certain level of responsibility, by corporate standards. If he says 'somebody had to take the blame', for me, it means he gave Brawn another season to break through. From the outside, he looked to be a bystander. It is said that Merc has been trying to poach Horner, unsuccessfully. I don't know though when this happened. I still have faith in Brawn, but he sure seems to be lost at sea in his present role. I think he has the next season to come through. I would say it was Haug who put the deal on the table in 2009, and failed to deliver on it. As I said, he has done this with dignity, IMHO, and maybe he did not have any other options. Time will tell if he was the victim of unlucky circumstances, or his bad judgement.

Edited by Sakae, 15 December 2012 - 20:18.

Brawn is not yet in the clear. Haug was a peg; buck stopped with him! Haug's replacement with Lauda will decide what to do next with Brawn and others, if anything. Analogically Firestone once was involved in a scandal of a sort, and since Bridge was their owner, chief executive in Japan resigned in disgrace (over something what happened in US), since buck stopped with him. I think you get a point. I am still not sure what exactly happened, and reasons for that decision, but that's private matter. He is gone, and system is vibrating with yet another disturbance. Good luck with 2013.

Edited by Risil, 15 December 2012 - 20:28.

Brawn took Mercedes's money and relinquished control and then later (2011?) his entire stake in the team. He's replaceable, at least theoretically.

Brawn is not yet in the clear. Haug was a peg; buck stopped with him! Haug's replacement with Lauda will decide what to do next with Brawn and others, if anything. Analogically Firestone once was involved in a scandal of a sort, and since Bridge was their owner, chief executive in Japan resigned in disgrace (over something what happened in US), since buck stopped with him. I think you get a point. I am still not sure what exactly happened, and reasons for that decision, but that's private matter. He is gone, and system is vibrating with yet another disturbance. Good luck with 2013.

Brawn took Mercedes's money and relinquished control and then later (2011?) his entire stake in the team. He's replaceable, at least theoretically.

the problem is, firing Brawn will be a disaster, both in racing term and publicity term, this team is still thankful to brawn for rescuing it during honda pullout saga and not to mention Brawn's power in F1 paddock, but i'm guessing there has already been warning shots fired towards him as well.

Huh?? Where the hell did you get the idea that Haug was replaced by Lauda? Lauda is nobody at Merc. He has a part-time window-shop job at Mercedes, more PR related than anything else. Was a pretty weak point of this team anyway. At least he will supply some tid-bits to chew on, not the dry droid-like communiqués the team has supplied us so far. He ssems to be set to have a Marko-like role. Barking loudly when necessary. He is no replacement in any way to Haug, IMHO. You speculate too much. Haug, as he said himself, whent down because Mercedes is unsuccessful.