F1 team leader's ire deters Schumacher none: 'Times have changed'
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A filmmaker with a soft spot for Ronnie Peterson, Gilles Villeneuve, Mika Hakkinen and above all, Tazio Nuvolari and Ayrton Senna, is also a diehard Formula One fan since the age of 4 (mid-90's). An avid researcher of the past of Grand Prix Racing since before it was even named F1, and with a thirst for knowledge of the ins and outs of the actuality of the sport, as well as for the technical aspects that define it, is a member of GPblog since 2023, where he has put his love of racing to good use.
Former F1 driver, now Sky Sports Germany pundit, has revealed Flavio Briatore's 'anger', triggered by a Christian Horner related statement.
Flavio Briatore, Alpine's executive advisor in the Alpine garage. | Photo source: RacePictures
"People like Flavio and, incidentally, Christian Horner alone have no future as the [leadership] model, or you have to use the McLaren model."- Ralf Schumacher
"I know Flavio Briatore isn’t talking to me at the moment," Schumacher said in Sky Germany's Backstage Boxengasse podcast. "He’s really angry with me because he misunderstood, because I simply said, 'Ok, people like Flavio and, incidentally, Christian Horner alone have no future as the [leadership] model, or you have to use the McLaren model.
"One does marketing and takes care of the people, or also brings in the staff that Andrea Stella (McLaren's team boss, ed.), needs," Schumacher added, in clear reference to the way the leadership roles are distributed at the Woking-based team, where Zak Brown takes on the functions of CEO, leaving team principal Andrea Stella the day-to-day operations.
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The German then continued: "However, this position has become so important that they must also concentrate fully on the future of the car, and that’s what I meant by that, and that also applies to Christian Horner, not just to Flavio Briatore, and it has nothing to do with age.
"I like Flavio, and of course, he may not be able to do this for another 100 years, but times have simply changed," Schumacher concluded.
By splitting the functions between that of a CEO and that of a team principal, instead of charging one person with all duties pertaining to both roles, Schumacher suggests McLaren can be more effective both on and off the track.
McLaren dominates F1 in 2025
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Winning their first Constructors' championship in 2024 - their first since 1998 - McLaren have been able to carry over and strengthen their hegemony in 2025 taking 12 wins out of the possible 16 so far.
This form has seen them clear all other rivals in both title races, leaving Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris as the sole realistic contenders in the Drivers' championship, with McLaren in with a chance of taking the Constructors' crown altogether in this weekends Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
This, of course, is due to the cohesion of the team, as well as the improvements made to their technical staff, and their infraestructure. Is Schumacher's role distribution claim as a reason for McLaren's success accurate. Vote in the poll below, and let us know what you think in the comments!
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