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Hypothetical: What would happen if HWA took control of Merc AMG?


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Poll: What do you think, would happen? (8 member(s) have cast votes)

Would HWA do a better job if they took over the F1 team?

  1. Yes (4 votes [50.00%])

    Percentage of vote: 50.00%

  2. No (4 votes [50.00%])

    Percentage of vote: 50.00%

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#1 KiloWatt

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Posted 30 July 2012 - 07:58

I think many, if not most, Merc followers and supporters were somewhat distrought, disgruntled, dissapointed etc following the weekend. And rightly I think some questions need to be asked to the team by the management as it's undeniable that they've gone backwards at a rate of knots.

Now, I know this is never going to happen, and I honestly don't believe it should happen. But just as a thought excercise, what if someone high up in the merc board looses his cool and shows, say, 50-60% of the staff the door? Keep the guys like Bell, Costa, Willis and the new aero guy (basically only keep the folks that weren't part of the original brackly bunch). And then put HWA in control. I'm talking about coup of biblical proportions. Even going so far as to move the team to Affalterbach.

I repeat again, I don't think this should or will happen. But last night after the race, when I drove home from my dads, I was fuming and I started to entertain thoughts like this. I've cooled down since and realise it's not practical, economical or beneficial. But let's play what if...

Let's say HWA have the facilities and are willing. They hire some new staff, keep some of the good guys and they get to work. Were looking at almost completely different management and a lot of new technical personnel.

Disclaimer, the text below is pure conjecture and not based on anything but gut feel (and frustration, admittedly):
I think if they had the facilities they might do a better job. Not immediatly, but within the course of two years they'd surpass what the current team manages to achieve. This is based on my assumption that there are a lot of good people at Brackly, but with bad habits. Which I think is a management problem. I think HWA is independent enough of the parent company to avoid meddling, but close enough to allow a healthy influx of superior work ethic.

Then again, I could be wrong. And I also don't believe the current team are beyond saving.

Mods:
Apologies, I'd have liked to just add this to the existing W03 thread, but I can't make poll in an existing thread.

Damn, forgot the pole, here it is

Edited by KiloWatt, 30 July 2012 - 08:02.


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#2 jcbc3

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Posted 30 July 2012 - 08:40

I think you can accuse Brawn of many things, but not that he is bad at managing an F1 team. And HWA has also had their blunders in DTM.

So I voted no, for the exact reasons you pointed out. There is no gain possible before 2 or 3 years time by switching. And that is without considering that no team except Ferrari has been consistently succesfull out of England. (Sauber is one of my favourite teams, but their strike rate in terms of success can only be described as 'sometimes punching above their weight)'.

#3 BigCHrome

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Posted 30 July 2012 - 08:44

How would a small team that designs touring cars be better than what they currently have?

#4 korzeniow

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Posted 30 July 2012 - 08:51

I think many, if not most, Merc followers and supporters were somewhat distrought, disgruntled, dissapointed etc following the weekend. And rightly I think some questions need to be asked to the team by the management as it's undeniable that they've gone backwards at a rate of knots.

Now, I know this is never going to happen, and I honestly don't believe it should happen. But just as a thought excercise, what if someone high up in the merc board looses his cool and shows, say, 50-60% of the staff the door? Keep the guys like Bell, Costa, Willis and the new aero guy (basically only keep the folks that weren't part of the original brackly bunch). And then put HWA in control. I'm talking about coup of biblical proportions. Even going so far as to move the team to Affalterbach.

I repeat again, I don't think this should or will happen. But last night after the race, when I drove home from my dads, I was fuming and I started to entertain thoughts like this. I've cooled down since and realise it's not practical, economical or beneficial. But let's play what if...

Let's say HWA have the facilities and are willing. They hire some new staff, keep some of the good guys and they get to work. Were looking at almost completely different management and a lot of new technical personnel.

Disclaimer, the text below is pure conjecture and not based on anything but gut feel (and frustration, admittedly):
I think if they had the facilities they might do a better job. Not immediatly, but within the course of two years they'd surpass what the current team manages to achieve. This is based on my assumption that there are a lot of good people at Brackly, but with bad habits. Which I think is a management problem. I think HWA is independent enough of the parent company to avoid meddling, but close enough to allow a healthy influx of superior work ethic.

Then again, I could be wrong. And I also don't believe the current team are beyond saving.

Mods:
Apologies, I'd have liked to just add this to the existing W03 thread, but I can't make poll in an existing thread.

Damn, forgot the pole, here it is



Successful F1 team is not about money, where Toyota and Honda are negative examples and Lotus a positive one. It's about the people an the environment. Juggling people around every year, which Mercedes is doing, is not a solution. Now you want them to 60% of staff but where the new people will come. Will they have time to work things between them untill you demand another mass firing?

#5 KiloWatt

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Posted 30 July 2012 - 09:13

Successful F1 team is not about money, where Toyota and Honda are negative examples and Lotus a positive one. It's about the people an the environment. Juggling people around every year, which Mercedes is doing, is not a solution. Now you want them to 60% of staff but where the new people will come. Will they have time to work things between them untill you demand another mass firing?


Hey hold on cowboy! :wave: Not demanding anything here, I stated I don't want this to happen. I was just wondering what would happen, if this occured in another universe. Be that good or bad (and for the record, I'm leaning towards bad). Was just curios what others think. So I take it you'll think it's a bad idea as well?

#6 KiloWatt

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Posted 30 July 2012 - 09:20

How would a small team that designs touring cars be better than what they currently have?


Well, your scepticism is justified. I don't think they have the facilities or manpower. My original idea with the thread was conjecture. So, if they had the manpower, the facilities, was willing to take the project on and got the neccesary extra funding. But crucially, the same (more or less) management.

I guess what I'm saying is, all things being equal:
Would HWA have designed a short wheel base W02 and launched it 'vanilla spec'? Or fooled around with a blade roll hoop W01 with wrong weight distribution. Or spent a lot of time on DDRS? Somehow I don't think so.

But I reiterate, I don't want this to happen because it's waaaay impractical and they'll be shooting themselves in the foot. I'm interested in alternate history here.