Sam Michael is reportedly under fire as the McLaren team’s pit stop woes continue for yet another race weekend.
The Australian was forced out quit his post as Williams’ long-standing Technical Director before the end of last season as part of the team’s major restructure, taking up a position as McLaren’s Sporting Director.
But his new role has been difficult to say the least, with the team hit by recurring problems during the all-important pit stops, an area that falls under Michael’s responsibility.
Following a spate of sticky wheel nuts incidents, the latest disaster hit last weekend at Valencia, with Lewis Hamilton losing crucial places during a 14-second pit stop when his front jack failed. The delay arguably cost him a shot at becoming the first two-time winner of the 2012 season, an honour that instead went to former team-mate Fernando Alonso, who claimed a popular win on the street circuit.
The Grand Prix Diary website observed on its Twitter feed: “McLaren were brilliant and Williams were rubbish. Then Sam Michael changed teams.”
The Telegraph newspaper’s leading F1 columnist, Tom Cary, also noted: “[Michael] is coming under sustained fire” for the McLaren team’s pit stop problems.
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Richard Bailey
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