McLaren F1 Staff on the Brink of Revolt

McLaren may have shifted engine partners to Renault to achieve better results but the harmony within the team seems to be disintegrating. Apparently, some of them are unhappy with the current level of incompetence.

Daily Mail reported that things reached a boiling point last week when Eric Boullier, McLaren racing director was conducting the post-race debrief and his team were unable to explain the reasons why the car was under-performing.

The members of the shop floor in the Woking factory were furious at the state of affairs and as a last-ditch solution, they wanted former boss, Martin Whitmarsh to take over the reigns of the team.

Whitmarsh was open to helping McLaren out of this dire situation. He said, “I piled in a little bit. I love the team and I am desperately sad to see what it has become.”

“It needs a big change of approach. There is too much politics between the main figures. I think a number of them have to go. I have explained my view to Mansour [Ojjeh, McLaren shareholder] and it is for the shareholders to decide what to do.”

“If a delegation showed up at my door, I wouldn’t turn them away. They know where I am.”

He revealed that the approach made now was not the first time. Ever since Zak Brown was brought in, he said that people at McLaren would send him a letter about the situation. He had told them to take it up with Mansour Ojjeh.

Whitmarsh also outlined his disappointment with the team. “The team used to be all about winning in Formula 1. Now they are looking at other avenues; going to IndyCar and Le Mans.”

“They are great things in themselves, but McLaren going in that direction, rather than making grand prix racing their sole priority, makes me shudder. I live locally and I bump into friends who work at McLaren”, he said.

“They are disappointed with what is happening and remonstrate with me.”