McLaren boss highlights team’s turmoil with poor ‘decision making system

Eric Boullier’s resignation at McLaren has brought about a change in the hierarchy at McLaren, but McLaren boss Zak Brown has hinted that more drastic changes are set to be implemented.

The matrix management system at McLaren, wherein everyone reports to everyone has brought in a lot confusion with respect to who the real boss is and who would be taking the ultimate calls.

Brown also called out the increasing number of committees that were not quite allowing individuals to make important decisions without much delay.

“The structure is not allowing certain individuals to be as entrepreneurial as I would like them to be,” said Brown.

“I think it has not enabled them to make decisions quickly enough. I think sometimes there is an appropriate time for decision by committee, and then I think there’s also times when there should be decisions by individuals.

“At times our decision-making process and the speed with which we make decisions gets gridlocked. So that needs to be changed, and I think our biggest issue has been structural and organisational.

“But there is great talent that we need to unleash that in the current environment has not been able to blossom, and then also bringing in people from the outside that have other experiences to help contribute to shaping a quicker, faster organisation.

“My job leading the Formula 1 team is to ultimately put that pace into the organisation, give the direction, get the right leadership in place and get on with getting back to where I think everyone in this room recognises McLaren should be.” he added.

The off track turmoil that McLaren are going through is indeed having some effect on their on-track performance. Brown would be hoping that they can correct all of this quickly, so as to keep the staff happy and the drivers focussed on the task at hand.