Things have gone from bad to worse at Williams F1. They’ve burned through Pat Symonds, Rob Smedley (as well as other key players in the team last year) and now it seems that Paddy Lowe has taken a leave of absence from the team.
The team were slow in getting the car to the season-opening winter testing but eventually did manage to get there. Still, they ran precious few laps compared to their rivals and there were rumors festering of Paddy’s departure from the team.
It now seems that may be the case according to a report over at Autosport. The confirmed the leave of absence but it’s complicated by the fact that Paddy acquired shares of Williams when he joined the team.
Both drivers said the car was slower than rivals and Robert Kubica was critical of the team’s preparation for the first race of the season. I’ve said it for 2+ years now, it’s time to hire a new coach and get some direction in the team.
Well, it’s hardly a surprise.
I’m sure I read somewhere that the wing mirrors and suspension are also illegal.
Good grief.
So, if Lowe was gone, who would replace him?
Overheard at Williams F1 “We have brain cancer so lets cutoff our right arm”. Everyday that Claire does not get the boot is another day in Willimas journey the the bottom. “They are already at the bottom” you say? Yes indeed, but they have heart and are plumbing previously unknown depths…
But wasn’t Paddy the new coach?
The only ones above him were the owners. You can’t fire Sir Frank and it seems unlikely he’d fire his daughter.
If I’m wrong, let me know. But if the majority stakeholders want to keep making these decisions and hiring choices, who’s there to stop them?
Yea I gotta agree with jm1138x here NC. Wasn’t Lowe the ‘coach’ here? I get it you really think Claire needs to go, and I do put a lot of blame on her, but isn’t this her doing the right thing here? She’s not the one responsible for getting the car out, Lowe was right? I thought this is what critics want, someone between Claire and the team to run it. And if they fail, that person is the responsible one right? I get it, I’m a redskins fan our owner sucks and is killing the team. But have the… Read more »
Pretty sure all the big decisions are still being made by Frank, not Claire. Part of the fix is that he lets go of the reigns for whomever holds the team principle title.