APRIL 23, 2004

McLaren confirms management structure

The new structure at McLaren and Mercedes=Ilmor has now been confirmed by McLaren with Hans-Ulrich Maik, the managing director of Mercedes-Ilmor having left the company which he has been running since November 2002. Martin Whitmarsh takes over the operational management of the entire McLaren Mercedes Formula 1 programme but gives up his position as managing director of McLaren Racing. This role now goes to Operations Director Jonathan Neale

The 41-year-old physics graduate joined McLaren from British Aerospace in 2001 after heading BAe's Hawk Fast Jet programme. He spent 10 years with BAe after starting his career working on semiconductor design and electronic warfare systems for submarines and surface ships at Phillips Defence Systems. After joining BAe as a design engineer he moved into management and in 1995 gained an MBA from Manchester University.

It remains to be seen whether or not there will be a change in the technical structure at McLaren where the current team of Technical Director Adrian Newey, Chief Designer Mike Coughlan and Executive Director of Engineering Neil Oatley have been struggling to produce a winning car since 2002.