Whitmarsh admits to big errors

McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh has admitted that his failure to stop the fallout from Lewis Hamilton's Australian Grand Prix disqualification snowballing out of control was a big misjudgement on his part

Whitmarsh admits to big errors

Speaking on a weekend where his team has become embroiled in its biggest crisis since the spy affair of 2007, Whitmarsh confessed to having deep regrets about the way he has dealt with the situation.

In particular, he thinks it was a big error on his part not to cut short a post-Australian GP holiday he had in Indonesia so he could get to Malaysia and deal with the matter before it blew up into a major controversy.

"One of the criticisms against me is that I was on holiday, that I didn't arrive here in time," said Whitmarsh. "And I have got deep regrets about that.

"But clearly as I left Australia on Sunday evening I wasn't aware of an issue. An issue was started to be reported on Wednesday, which I was told about, but frankly I did not believe the scale of it nor the speed of it.

"I didn't know that the Australian stewards would be here and I hadn't imagined and again maybe [it was] a big misjudgement on my part but I hadn't imagined that there was going to be a stewards hearing here.

"I knew that there was an issue developing on Wednesday and that I had to speak to the people directly, which I did. Through to Friday morning Dave [Ryan] still held the view that he had not lied to the stewards, and that process I needed to go through.

"On Thursday night I left here with the feeling that this was a very severe and significant and embarrassing event for this team. Something which we have apologised for, I have apologised for and I apologise again to the media, to the FIA, to the World Motor Sport Council, to the president for what has happened."

Whitmarsh says his decision to suspend the team's sporting director Dave Ryan for his involvement in the matter was the hardest he has had to make in his career.

"I took a very tough decision, probably the most difficult professional decision of my life, to shatter a life of a very close colleague and friend and a huge part of this team," he said.

Whitmarsh also expressed regret about speaking to the media on Thursday, claiming his team had not lied to stewards, before he was fully aware of what had happened.

"I had a human instinct which was wrong probably, to defend colleagues, both Dave and Lewis and in doing that and jumping to that defence, I hadn't done the necessary homework for which I am deeply regretful of.

"But having spoken to Lewis, and Lewis told me on Thursday evening that he felt he had lied. Dave still did not, but I reflected on it overnight, and had to come to the view that I had to suspend Dave. I told the FIA what had happened and explained it to them, I explained it on Friday.

"Of course I have got a lot of regrets, I wish I had come straight here. I wish I had anticipated it. But in truth even if I was here on Monday, Tuesday and probably Wednesday, it wouldn't have made any difference because it wasn't an event that was unfolding or that we were aware of. And Lewis wasn't here either, he had gone on his own holiday somewhere."

shares
comments

Grapevine: Hamilton considered quitting over Oz GP

Brawn tabled diffuser 'fix' last year

How F1's new era has exposed the downside of its most important rule

How F1's new era has exposed the downside of its most important rule

Plus
Plus
Formula 1
Jonathan Noble

How F1's new era has exposed the downside of its most important rule How F1's new era has exposed the downside of its most important rule

What next for Mercedes in its quest to get back to the top of F1?

What next for Mercedes in its quest to get back to the top of F1?

Plus
Plus
Formula 1
Saudi Arabian GP
Alex Kalinauckas

What next for Mercedes in its quest to get back to the top of F1? What next for Mercedes in its quest to get back to the top of F1?

Why Piastri’s F1 homecoming will be a landmark occasion

Why Piastri’s F1 homecoming will be a landmark occasion

Plus
Plus
Formula 1
Australian GP
GP Racing

Why Piastri’s F1 homecoming will be a landmark occasion Why Piastri’s F1 homecoming will be a landmark occasion

The recent Australian GP form history that will boost Ferrari in F1 2023

The recent Australian GP form history that will boost Ferrari in F1 2023

Plus
Plus
Formula 1
Australian GP
Alex Kalinauckas

The recent Australian GP form history that will boost Ferrari in F1 2023 The recent Australian GP form history that will boost Ferrari in F1 2023

The cycle of F1 upheaval Williams must end to rediscover past glories

The cycle of F1 upheaval Williams must end to rediscover past glories

Plus
Plus
Formula 1
GP Racing

The cycle of F1 upheaval Williams must end to rediscover past glories The cycle of F1 upheaval Williams must end to rediscover past glories

The state of play in F1's technical silly season

The state of play in F1's technical silly season

Plus
Plus
Formula 1
Jake Boxall-Legge

The state of play in F1's technical silly season The state of play in F1's technical silly season

Ranking the top 10 pre-war grand prix drivers

Ranking the top 10 pre-war grand prix drivers

Plus
Plus
Formula 1
Kevin Turner

Ranking the top 10 pre-war grand prix drivers Ranking the top 10 pre-war grand prix drivers

Why drivers are the least of Ferrari’s F1 worries

Why drivers are the least of Ferrari’s F1 worries

Plus
Plus
Formula 1
GP Racing

Why drivers are the least of Ferrari’s F1 worries Why drivers are the least of Ferrari’s F1 worries