14/10/2013
NEWS STORY
Mercedes Team Principal, Ross Brawn, says he wishes to continue with the German team but only if his position as team boss is clarified.
As expected, the Brackley outfit's 'chiefs and indians' approach has finally caught up with it, even leaving the men at the supposed top of the chain of command confused. Things were already confused before the arrival in June of Paddy Lowe from McLaren.
Known to be unhappy with the situation, Brawn has been linked with a number of teams, while McLaren's recent claim that it was on the verge of some 'headline grabbing' signings with not have gone unnoticed at Brackley.
Speaking at the weekend, Brawn insisted that he is happy at Brackley but only if his position is clarified and that position has to be as overall commander of the team.
"We have quite a heavy senior management team and we have to understand what we will all be doing,” he told the BBC. “Any successful F1 team has to have a senior reference and that’s the big question. We need to make sure if I’m to remain here that I’m the reference.”
Other than Lowe, Brawn also has to deal with Toto Wolff and Niki Lauda. It is understood that the Austrian legend is the Stuttgart company's 'man on the ground', overseeing everything and reporting back to the paymasters in Germany. Wolff's role, on the other hand, is not as clearly defined, and according to Pitpass sources is not liked within the team and is widely seen as disruptive.
"We have quite a lot of ingredients to fit into the same pot and that's the difficulty, Brawn admitted, "So we're talking and discussing. There's a lot of very good things in place for next year; the team's in a great position.
“We’ve started the (new) car early so I think the team will be in a very strong position next year,” he continued, “but I just want to make sure that I’m fulfilling a role that I’m motivated by and want to do.”
This lack of motivation that Brawn admits to backs up exactly what Pitpass has heard. If the German team is to keep him it will mean further reorganisation with roles and the chain of command very clearly defined.
Furthermore, with the paymasters in Stuttgart watching every single move results are needed and needed very soon otherwise, despite the massive investment, the plug will be pulled.