Formula One News

Formula One News » McLaren & Jenson speak about Paddy Lowe Posted on 27/02/2013

McLaren team managing director, Jonathan Neale believes McLaren still have what it takes to continue and compete with out Paddy Lowe.

“It would be foolish to say we’re not going to miss Paddy, who has been with us 19 years. But we have designed an organisation that is broad at the top. We’ve got a resilient team.

“It would be disappointing if we weren’t regarded as the place to come to hire good people from because then I wouldn’t be doing my job.

“I’m not surprised people are coming through this team at the moment, prepared to pay exotic salaries for people and wait 12, 18 months or longer in some cases.

“That is the state of the market at the moment.

“If you want to buy some short-term know-how then you can go out and pay telephone-number salaries. We’ve all done it.”

Jenson Button also commented on Paddy Lowe’s departure:

“Having Tim in the position is fantastic. He is the guy who designed the 2012 car that won seven races last year so he knows what he’s doing, I really like Paddy. It’s been good fun working with him over the past three years, in a working relationship but also as a friend.

“He’s a good guy, a fun character. But things change and he wants to try a new challenge and fair play to him. He’s got to think about number one, which is himself, and good luck to him.

“But I didn’t come here because Paddy or Lewis was here. I came here because this is McLaren, the heritage is here, the history is here.”