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[andrew]

So if Haug was the scapegoat; who are they going to blame next season for their poo performance; they'll probably start off well and fade as the season goes on. I just don't think that Mercedes has the hunger, in my view firing Haug is a great indication of that; Haug had the passion for motorsport; like all manufacturers with the exception of Ferrari solely use F1 as a marketing exercise for their brand. I just have no faith that Mercedes can pull it out of the bag like their predecessors, BMW, Honda, Toyota and Renault!

It's harsh but it is starting to ring true. Only 1 lucky win in 3 seasons doesn't inspire any confidence in this being a team that will move forward. Looks like Mercedes are going for the blame culture and looking for a scapegoat rather than sorting out whatever the real problem/problems is/are. I'd be surprised if sacking Haug makes any real difference.

[myownalias]

So if Haug was the scapegoat; who are they going to blame next season for their poo performance; they'll probably start off well and fade as the season goes on. I just don't think that Mercedes has the hunger, in my view firing Haug is a great indication of that; Haug had the passion for motorsport; like all manufacturers with the exception of Ferrari solely use F1 as a marketing exercise for their brand. I just have no faith that Mercedes can pull it out of the bag like their predecessors, BMW, Honda, Toyota and Renault!

Sounds more like you want Merc to fail and its obvious to see why.

If you want to believe that I want Merc to fail for whatever obvious reason you see... so be it! But the reality is that I don't want any team to fail, I'd like to see Merc to do well and challenge the frontrunners. I am just expressing an opinion; given Merc's performance in the last few years; and getting rid of a key man in Mercedes just before preparations are just about to start; it doesn't bode well for the future. It's like all those football teams that sack managers, only to be as crap as they were before the managerial change!

[What's Burning?]

He might wind up at McLaren where the rest of the castoffs seem to go of late.

[Hammer278]

So if Haug was the scapegoat; who are they going to blame next season for their poo performance; they'll probably start off well and fade as the season goes on. I just don't think that Mercedes has the hunger, in my view firing Haug is a great indication of that; Haug had the passion for motorsport; like all manufacturers with the exception of Ferrari solely use F1 as a marketing exercise for their brand. I just have no faith that Mercedes can pull it out of the bag like their predecessors, BMW, Honda, Toyota and Renault!

Sounds more like you want Merc to fail and its obvious to see why.

If you want to believe that I want Merc to fail for whatever obvious reason you see... so be it! But the reality is that I don't want any team to fail, I'd like to see Merc to do well and challenge the frontrunners. I am just expressing an opinion; given Merc's performance in the last few years; and getting rid of a key man in Mercedes just before preparations are just about to start; it doesn't bode well for the future. It's like all those football teams that sack managers, only to be as crap as they were before the managerial change!

Well if you chose to respond to that one line instead of my entire post, forget it.

All I can say is this is no regular sacking. Mercedes had plenty of opportunities to sack Haug during those stale years McLaren have had with Mercedes being an engine supplier but they didn't. This could be a part of further restructuring which is mutually agreed by all parties in order to make immediate improvements for the future. None of us know the full story, but in the end the cars will be doing the 'talking' on track and we shall see what Merc's response is staring March 2013.

[What's Burning?]

The amount of speculation that goes on without anyone here knowing what really took place is remarkable.

[andrew]

Haug: Someone had to go

Departing Mercedes-Benz motorsport boss Norbert Haug admits that his exit is results-related.

Haug will leave the position at the end of the year after 22 years of distinguished service. While he remains highly rated in the motorsport world, recent projects have not worked out as was hoped.

The German headed Mercedes' return to Formula One as a constructor in 2010, a return that has not heralded the success that was hoped.

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."

[racechick]

So if Haug was the scapegoat; who are they going to blame next season for their poo performance; they'll probably start off well and fade as the season goes on. I just don't think that Mercedes has the hunger, in my view firing Haug is a great indication of that; Haug had the passion for motorsport; like all manufacturers with the exception of Ferrari solely use F1 as a marketing exercise for their brand. I just have no faith that Mercedes can pull it out of the bag like their predecessors, BMW, Honda, Toyota and Renault!

It's harsh but it is starting to ring true. Only 1 lucky win in 3 seasons doesn't inspire any confidence in this being a team that will move forward. Looks like Mercedes are going for the blame culture and looking for a scapegoat rather than sorting out whatever the real problem/problems is/are. I'd be surprised if sacking Haug makes any real difference.

How many wins did Red Bull have in their first three years?
Why have Mercedes just hired Hamilton if they don't have the hunger?
How do you know Mercedes has a blame culture? We don't know the details of what happened
What makes you think they will start off well and fade?
How about we wait and see what happens before we write the team off.

[andrew]

How many wins did Red Bull have in their first three years?

Red Bull didn't buy a championship winning team so the comparison is meaningless.

Why have Mercedes just hired Hamilton if they don't have the hunger?

No one has questioned their hunger for success. They did have the greatest F1 driver ever in one of their crappy cars for the past 3 seasons. If that doesn't show hunger for success then nothing else will.

How do you know Mercedes has a blame culture? We don't know the details of what happened

It's looking more and more like Haug has been given the boot for their lack of success.

What makes you think they will start off well and fade?

I don't think they will start off well and fade. In fact, I question their ability to start off well. I doubt there will be much fading.

How about we wait and see what happens before we write the team off.

Very wise indeed. I wonder how McLaren will do next season.

[What's Burning?]

so much

[darwin dali]

so much

The resemblance with Haug is striking

[What's Burning?]

so much

The resemblance with Haug is striking

I know where you're looking.

[andrew]

so much

The resemblance with Haug is striking

A bit harsh?

[scotty]

The amount of speculation that goes on without anyone here knowing what really took place is remarkable.

Well, i know i have based my opinion (that he has been scapegoated) on what Haug has said himself, which is surely not that leftfield.

[What's Burning?]

The amount of speculation that goes on without anyone here knowing what really took place is remarkable.

Well, i know i have based my opinion (that he has been scapegoated) on what Haug has said himself, which is surely not that leftfield.

And I don't doubt there was some of that as well but the guy wasn't simply running F1 for Mercedes, he was VP of motorsports... all motorsports and they did have a pretty damned banner year in DTM so I think there's a lot of factors that all weighed in on the decision. So I do tend to believe that it was mutual. Obviously if he goes off to work with BMW or Audi next year it would imply a lot but as of now it's mostly conjecture.

[Hammer278]

The amount of speculation that goes on without anyone here knowing what really took place is remarkable.

Well, i know i have based my opinion (that he has been scapegoated) on what Haug has said himself, which is surely not that leftfield.

And I don't doubt there was some of that as well but the guy wasn't simply running F1 for Mercedes, he was VP of motorsports... all motorsports and they did have a pretty damned banner year in DTM so I think there's a lot of factors that all weighed in on the decision. So I do tend to believe that it was mutual and. Obviously if he goes off to work with BMW or Audi next year it would imply a lot but as of now it's mostly conjecture.

This is exactly what Im saying! Why is it so hard to understand, if Haug's role is limited to the F1 team, yeah okay he's a scapegoat! But to remove someone who's contributed to much to the company as a whole because of 1 year that didn't go as planned? As I repeated earlier, this looks like Haug fulfilling his promise of stepping down after making an ultimatum to Mercedes. And unfortunately he failed in delivering it, and this is the honourable way to fulfill his promise.

But yeah, if he turns around some day and says Merc are a bunch of sh*t, then my theory goes out the window.