[Team] Michael and Tomlinson leaving Williams, Coughlan hired

[Marbot]

Originally Posted by Razor

To quote Star Wars: I have a bad feeling about this.

The more obvious one is: “I find your lack of faith disturbing.”

Mike Coughlan helped to engineer some pretty good cars. Williams, at the very least, have another decent engineer on their books.

[wnut]

Originally Posted by ASCII Man

Its exactly the lack of continuity that has plagued Williams the past 10 years, too many driver changes, too many engine supply changes, too many staff changes, etc, etc.
That coupled with ever decreasing funds are the main reasons why Williams is not a top outfit anymore.

I hope it works out for them, I really do.
But I fear its all too little, too late.

Seems like they're heading the way of Tyrrell, a slow slow death.

You have nailed the Williams problems here.
If they are going to employ Coghlin or anyone else they should add him; as chief if necessary; to the engineering team.
They need continuity and this is just a disruption!

Sounds like they have employed management consultants!
They are stuffed!

[awrb]

The thing is stability only works if its working well to start with. A stable team that just hasn't succeeded, like Williams recently, just won't work and a shake up is needed. Hopefully this will put some new life into the team, and be the start of their rise back up the leaderboard.

[GTRMagic]

When is Mr Stepney joining WGPE?

And perhaps Mr Symonds?

[Tourer]

Stability is a key element to building mid to long term success, no question about it but when structure and chemistry isn't working over a number of years then tough decisions need to be made which has happened here.

2012 is going to be a new era for the team with Patrick retiring completely and I guess that it makes sense to go for a clean sweep, given the year so far. There are some very trick bits on the current car, but overall as a package it hasn't looked all that promising so far has it?

Now need someone who can see and develop and direct the overall package as I have no doubt that there is plenty of strong, top level, engineering talent at WGPE.

like some have said, if it was me I'd be considering adding to the team rather than replacing - seems to me that Sam Michael for example could be a very good track engineer but maybe not a great tech director - he certainly wouldn't be the first to be good at the track job but not so well suited to the big gig. The only people who really know of course are those within the team and I hope that this leads to them moving forward - it would be good to see them back giving the current top couple of teams the hurry up again.

[ghinzani]

You still fear for the team long term without one P. Head, and then eventually Frank himself.

[Oldtony]

Originally Posted by ghinzani

You still fear for the team long term without one P. Head, and then eventually Frank himself.

Maybe they are the ones that have reached their use-by date.

[Sodemo]

Originally Posted by ECW Dan Selby

I do understand people's pessimism, but as Williams fans, do you not think a change was absolutely necessary?

I'm genuinely intrigued.

Selby

I do, they have needed a change for a while. You could argue that after 2005 the warning signs were there. 2006 wasn't an awful season, but you think with the success they had in 2001-2004 it was a poor year. So really, since 2005 the team hasn't been competitive. I'm glad some changes have occurred.

[Sodemo]

Originally Posted by Marbot

The more obvious one is: “I find your lack of faith disturbing.”

Mike Coughlan helped to engineer some pretty good cars. Williams, at the very least, have another decent engineer on their books.

How about; "what a piece of junk!"

[wnut]

Originally Posted by Oldtony

Maybe they are the ones that have reached their use-by date.

I think you are right Oldtony, P Head and Frank himself need to get out of the way. They have missed any number of opportunities to consolidate their position with a number of partners, and continually seem to discard key staff.
Frank saying that the financial times was his bible and praising Bernie for making so much money at the Williams float pretty well said he had retired from racing.

[GTRMagic]

Originally Posted by wnut

I think you are right Oldtony, P Head and Frank himself need to get out of the way. They have missed any number of opportunities to consolidate their position with a number of partners, and continually seem to discard key staff.
Frank saying that the financial times was his bible and praising Bernie for making so much money at the Williams float pretty well said he had retired from racing.

What does a WGPE succession plan look like? Given that Mr Head is retiring shortly, who is the new management blood coming thru to guide the team into the 10's?

[wnut]

Originally Posted by GTRMagic

What does a WGPE succession plan look like? Given that Mr Head is retiring shortly, who is the new management blood coming thru to guide the team into the 10's?

Another management failure???

They have Adam Parr, Alex Burns, Sam Michael, the last of whom they appear to be letting go. There is now Coughlan who is not exactly current and Toto Wolf who brings .. umm umm .......

[Marbot]

Unfortunately, and something that many will bear in mind when considering entering F1, is that there are only so many technical genius's to go around.

Which is kind of odd really. We all know that the next Schumacher/Alonso/Vettel will always be just around the corner, but where is the next Adrian Newey coming from?

[wnut]

Originally Posted by Marbot

Unfortunately, and something that many will bear in mind when considering entering F1, is that there are only so many technical genius's to go around.

Which is kind of odd really. We all know that the next Schumacher/Alonso/Vettel will always be just around the corner, but where is the next Adrian Newey coming from?

Too right, and we all remember; "Adrian Newey's departure won't hurt the team!" MUCH!

[gttouring]

Sam michael hasn't lit the teams fires, but can it be his fault? Where did such a guy come from anyway? He was incredibly young when he got top position at williams. They are taking chances but just aren't doing it well this hppens there re up down cycles and when sir frank leaves williams wont be anymore anyway. So a new team is growing out of this.

[Marbot]

Originally Posted by Sodemo

How about; "what a piece of junk!"

How about: May the 4th be with you. Get it? May the force....please yourself.

Apparently the blame is now being put on Parr, rather than Michael.

Patrick Head also didn't take too kindly to Parr's announcement of his impending retirement.

[stripedcat]

Head leaving at the end of the season will definitely have a major effect on Williams.

Sam Michael leaving I don't know how much that will effect them. He made a good start when he first joined Williams, but it does seem a bit abrupt to leave so soon in the new season.

Lack of a good engine doesn't help. The Cosworth isn't bad, but not up to the stunning engines from Williams past(Honda, Renault and then revvv tastic BMW - which took them to an all time fastest ever qualifying lap!).

It does seem that the only way is down for the Williams team, sadly.

[chillibowl]

Originally Posted by GTRMagic

Wonder what the public investors think?

Bloomberg

well their share price has been trending upwards over the past week so at least the shareholders and beancounters think it was a good idea!

not sure i like the idea that a sports team would make choices based on stock prices (they should make decisions based on performance and the chance to win races) but cant say i disagree with this outcome.

[Marbot]

Originally Posted by stripedcat

Lack of a good engine doesn't help. The Cosworth isn't bad, but not up to the stunning engines from Williams past(Honda, Renault and then revvv tastic BMW - which took them to an all time fastest ever qualifying lap!).

I think that the Cosworth V8 engine would have probably won McLaren or Red Bull a few races by now. Aerodynamics are what hold the lesser teams back. Engines are all a much of a muchness these days anyway.

[darcym]

Sam Michael has traded on the reputation he built up at Jordan with With Williams for long enough, he's been with them for 10 years and within those years, they have gone backwards.

I'm sad that Patrick Head is going his presense around the paddock is a reminder of now legacy born racing approach.

[P38 in workshop]

Patrick Head has certainly earned the right to retire and it would be fitting if he could depart at a time of his choosing without other elements of the management team implying that he was no longer wanted.Perhaps the opportunity for Sam Michael to rebuild his reputation will come along as it has in the case of Mike Coughlan.The questions posed earlier in this thread about where one finds future technical directors is a good one;the trend of employing people in niches where they develop a great deal of knowledge about one aspect of a car's performance hardly helps to produce a new generation of Heads,Barnards,Neweys and Murrays.I hope the new technical team at Williams can move the team closer to the sharp end of the grid.

[strider]

There are signs of distinct unrest in the camp, so the changes haven't solved the problems and have possibly created new ones!

[GTRMagic]

Perhaps SFW should have accepted Mr Parr's resignation as well? It is clear from some of the stories in Autosport and Crash.net that Mr Parr does not rate himself as being across the sporting side of F1, suggesting that there are other people in WGPE more skilled to do such things..

So.. You could replace someone who may arguably a generalist CEO with a different one, perhaps with a different skill set.

Wasnt it once said that to keep doing things over and over again and expecting a different result was the first sign of insanity?

I would also imagine there may be some listing rules that could have been breached in the discussions by Mr Parr on the movements of Mr Head too.. regardless of the share price movement!

[VIVA GT]

Oh no, does this mean we now have Williamsgate?

[Tourer]

Originally Posted by VIVA GT

Oh no, does this mean we now have Williamsgate?

That's nearby Bishopsgate isn't it?