5 Sterne Redner

  • DE
  • EN
Contact

Mark Gallagher reviews the 2015 Formula One season and looks forward to 2016

Our Global Top Speaker Mark Gallagher

GlobalTopspeaker Mark Gallagher has worked in Formula One for almost 30 years withthe world’s top drivers. He gives us a review to the last Formula One seasonand a look forward to 2016:

“Last year’s Formula OneWorld Championship was by no means a classic, largely due to a second year ofdomination by the Mercedes team added to a focussed Lewis Hamilton clinchinghis third title with three races remaining. Only Ferrari saved the day for thefans and hard-pressed media thanks to three unexpected victories for four-timesWorld Champion Sebastian Vettel.

 

WhileMercedes and Ferrari won all the races, a resurgent but somehow hesitantWilliams emerged best-of-the-rest, while the remaining competition spent muchof the season in disarray both on and off track. Red Bull fell out verypublicly with engine supplier Renault, McLaren discovered that Honda hadforgotten how competitive contemporary Formula One really is, and Lotus limpedthrough its final debt-ridden season under owners who unimpressed since the daythey entered the sport.

Sowhat of 2016, a year which will see the largest Formula One schedule ever with21 events including the return of the German Grand Prix the intriguing additionof Azerbaijan?

Welltwo pieces of good news for those who would like to see Lewis Hamilton properlychallenged. The first is that if team mate Nico Rosberg can continue themomentum of having thrashed the World Champion during the last three races ofthe season, we may have a proper inter-team duel at Mercedes. Thesecond concerns Ferrari which, having reversed the decline of 2014, looks muchstronger, genuinely competitive and very happy with an upbeat Vettel as teamleader. If the Italian team can repeat the kind of step it made in 2015,Mercedes might well have something to worry about.

Havingtried to divorce Renault and run off with Mercedes, Red Bull Racing discoveredthat Mercedes didn’t love them after all, and has been forced to make the walkof shame back home. Renault, feeling scorned, has responded by ratcheting upthe costs of its engines and ‘debranding’ them. Add to that the ending of asubstantial sponsorship from Renault-Nissan Group brand Infiniti, and it hasbeen a painful period for the Red Bull camp. They now find themselves with acar powered by a watch, having sold the branding of the Renault engines toLVMH’s Tag Heuer.

As aformer member of Red Bull Racing’s management, however, I hope that having putthe politics and commercial infighting of 2015 behind them, the Milton Keynesteam can knuckle down and do what they are best at; embarrassing the carmanufacturers by producing cars that have for years possessed among the verybest chassis and aero characteristics. 

Lotus,thankfully, has been sold to Renault. Renault has a terrific heritage in thissport and, having recognised that being an engine supplier can be a thanklesstask, becoming captain of their own ship is the right move. I can sympathisewith Renault’s plight, having experienced at Cosworth what it is like to haveteams happy to take credit when their car is quick, and blame the enginesupplier when it’s slow. Such is life for a supplier, and underlines whycollaboration and partnership is so important in achieving success.”

We are looking forward to hearing more of Marks expertise during thisyear. Don’t hesitate to contact us, if you would book Mark about motivation,teamwork, innovation, technology and customer service for your next event. 

back