[mclarenf1gtr]

I know this thread is about 6 years too late, but I couldn't help thinking to myself. If Adrian Newey were still part of McLaren, McLaren would have won the WCC both last year and this year. I don't know why Ron Dennis and Martin Whitmarsh refused to give him a salary increase, but sadly, it's come back to haunt them.

I hope, atleast for next year, that the MP4-27 can compete with the Red Bull.

 

[SSO]

Common mistake made by tons of companies, they let great talent walk over relatively small amounts of money..............only to have it cost then hugely on the bottom line a few years later.

 

[Marin 12C]

It was more than salary.

 

[SSO]

It was more than salary.

Personality clash?

 

[MitchF1GTR]

He wanted more control and a share in the company did he not? Pretty sure they were both things Red Bull offered...

 

[SSO]

He wanted more control and a share in the company did he not? Pretty sure they were both things Red Bull offered...

I believe you are correct. It was increased control and more skin in the game.

 

[sumbaco]

I believe you are correct. It was increased control and more skin in the game.

I know that is why he left Williams, but did the problem resurface at Mclaren too?

 

[6th element]

Perhaps it wasn't a mistake by McLaren, but rather a situation that was never going to reconcile in any case.

As the incumbent shareholders of a business, it doesn't always make sense to give equity to the talent. First of all, it may set a precedent that will spur additional employees to demand more equity, making your overall talent pool prohibitively expensive.

Also, I'm sure they ran the numbers of both potential outcomes and may have decided it wasn't worth it. Sure, it would have been great to have Newey and a chance at the Constructors title, but as it is they have beaten the MAFIA the last three years running and their major sponsors are intact. The financial impact has likely been negligible, vs giving away a significant chunk of the business to Newey.

If they could go back in time, maybe they would still have let him leave.