The 2022 F1 season is meant to be over, nevertheless it seems to be a present that retains on giving. The most recent iteration of it’s a case of musical chairs between F1 Group Principals.
To recap, it began with Mattia Binotto resigning from his function at Ferrari. We additionally lately had Jost Capito saying his departure from Williams. Then on Tuesday, Fred Vasseur began off the sport of musical chairs. First, Vasseur introduced his departure from Alfa Romeo. Shortly after, Ferrari introduced Vasseur’s arrival as their Group Principal. Whereas this was kind of anticipated to occur, the shock got here proper afterwards as Andreas Seidl’s departure from McLaren was introduced, with Seidl taking on the function of CEO at Sauber as an alternative.
In the long run, subsequent yr we’ll see Andreas Seidl at Alfa Romeo, Andrea Stella at McLaren and Fred Vasseur at Ferrari whereas Williams figures out who replaces Jost Capito. So, on this Russian roulette of Group Principals, who received and who misplaced out? Let’s have a look.
Winner
Alfa Romeo/Audi
Alfa Romeo/Audi may simply have scored the most important bounty in all of this and it did it on the final second. Andreas Seidl’s historical past of working with the Volkswagen Group was one thing that helped McLaren safe Oscar Piastri and it was one thing that has seen him shift bases.
Andreas Seidl joins the Sauber Group as Chief Govt Officer, beginning in Jan 2023. He can be tasked with persevering with the expansion of the group as Sauber retains establishing itself as one of many brightest sporting, industrial entities round. Story: sauber-group.com/motorsport/f1-… https://t.co/Lm0RTaGWYW
His stint at McLaren has been very spectacular. Beneath his management, the crew is again to scoring podiums, even securing pole place and successful a race final yr. Getting that form of confirmed expertise in your ranks and luring him away from McLaren reveals not solely intent, nevertheless it additionally reveals that the German large is already making strikes 3 years earlier than it even begins competing in F1. As we all know, Audi lately introduced that it’s buying 75% of Sauber Motorsport AG, with the intent to race in 2026. In case anybody forgot, Audi is right here gents, and it means enterprise.
Loser
McLaren
Andrea Seidl’s exit is a sucker punch for McLaren if there ever was any. The crew is on the verge of doing a little nice issues in F1. Firmly main the midfield group, a couple of essential tweaks ought to propel the crew to the highest. Andreas Seidl’s resolution to leap ship now’s the most important thumbs right down to the McLaren venture as a result of if there was optimism on that entrance, he wouldn’t have left.
McLaren now has an vital activity of restabilizing for the time being, and will probably be very fascinating to see the place the crew finds itself subsequent season.
Winner
Frederic Vasseur
With the Audi takeover imminent, Frederic Vasseur’s F1 future was within the doldrums. Audi was going to place their consultant in a senior place (that individual turned out to be Andreas Seidl) and that will have left Vasseur with no job if he had not acted swiftly.
In all of this, it does seem that Vasseur did precisely that and obtained the deal carried out with Ferrari, one which makes him the Group Principal of probably the most illustrious model in F1. Positive, Ferrari is a revolving door for Group Principals however main the Scuderia is a temptation not many might decline.
Loser
Ferrari
Though it’s self-inflicted in numerous methods and it was Ferrari’s resolution to alter their Group Principal, this transfer goes to harm. Binotto was not solely dealing with the standard Group Principal job, however he was additionally managing the technical side as properly.
In essence, Ferrari wanted two personnel to exchange Binotto however since that has not been the case, there can be a query mark over the decision-making of the crew within the quick time period. The Italian crew might need to take one step again earlier than taking two steps ahead however will they’ve the endurance to try this? We’ll have to attend and see.
Winner
Andreas Seidl
A profession transfer that sees you transition from a Group Principal function at McLaren to the CEO of Audi is a winner in all facets. Seidl knew what the ceiling was at McLaren with Zak Brown on the high. He is made the transfer to the German marque and in all chance can be spearheading its entry into F1. Seidl has been a VW group loyalist for a very long time and this is a chance he at all times deserved. Now it’s as much as him to do the perfect he can with it.
Loser
Williams
Williams just isn’t an F1 crew a driver would need to be at proper now. The crew was lastly in a position to present indicators of restoration, scoring good factors in 2021 and 2022. The subsequent step was progressing additional after years of rebuilding with Jost Capito on the high.
Properly, Capito is gone! So is the crew’s technical director. It’s laborious to see Williams with any kind of confidence proper now and drivers like Alex Albon and Logan Sargeant can be having a tough time determining what the long run appears like for the crew.