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Former Ferrari engineer Rob Smedley supports McLaren's new restructuring process.
The British team has recently made some major changes at the technical director level. James Key, who was the technical director, left the team. In his stead, Peter Prodromou, David Sanchez and Neil Houldey have come in to tackle the technical aspects of the team and report to team principal Andrea Stella.
On the F1 Nation podcast, Smedley said that despite not having a technical director, there will be a clear demarcation about what the three technical personnel at McLaren will work on. He added that the teams are too big in the current age, hinting that one technical director might not be enough to steer the entire ship:
"I think there’s clear demarcation. I think a single technical director, the teams are too big now; they’re just way too big, the technical organisation and the level of details."
He added:
“A technical director within a Formula 1 team is still operational; it’s not somebody who is navigating where the ship is going to be sailing to in the next 10 years, what new technology you’re going to bring in, that’s what we would call a chief technical officer. These guys who have director in their title, they’re still operational. So they’re still decision makers, and there’s clear demarcation as to the areas where they’re going to be making decisions."
He also explained how it's Stella's job to manage all three directors to avoid any conflict and chaos. The former Ferrari engineer concluded:
“Andrea’s job now is to make sure that all three of them are collaborating well together, and you don’t get into a situation where one of them or two of them are looking at the other one and thinking ‘well, that’s a bit of a weak link, and we probably have to override some of the decisions’."
Ferrari chairman talks about deep changes for improvement
Ferrari chairman John Elkann recently revealed that there have been massive changes undergoing in Maranello.
The team is focusing on improving the sporting activities on the track. He also said Enzo Ferrari, founder of the Italian automotive giant, and the team will continue to work in order to fulfill his passion and make progress. In a letter to Exor's shareholders, Elkann wrote (via PlanetF1):
"Deep changes are underway between the walls of Maranello, particularly in strengthening sporting activity on the track. The desire to progress that our founder, Enzo Ferrari, had in his heart continues to keep Ferrari’s people humble and ambitious in shaping the future of the Prancing Horse."
The Prancing Horse has taken a huge step backwards in the 2023 season. They have not been on any podium after three races and are fourth in the constructors' championship.
