FORMULA ONE: The future of the Jaguar Formula One team could be in jeopardy if the latest in a succession of management changes fails to steer it on to a competitive footing after three years of abject disappointment.
That was the message implicit in the latest raft of organisational changes announced yesterday after another internal coup sent Niki Lauda packing as team principal after only 16 months. In August of last year the three-time world champion replaced the former Indy 500 winner Bobby Rahal in the job that the American had inherited nine months earlier after Neil Ressler stood down for family reasons.
Yet this time there was not even a replacement candidate nominated for what is becoming the most thankless task in motor racing. Instead Jaguar's owners Ford have adopted a more focused approach where high-technology engineering rather than star personalities is the main priority in an attempt to build better cars and save the team.
The dismal bottom line shows 21 points scored out of 51 races and only podium finishes thanks to Eddie Irvine's third places in the 2001 Monaco and 2002 Italian grands prix.
Richard Parry-Jones, Ford's chief engineering officer, is the man responsible for what he hopes will be a decisive new approach. He made it clear that he did not think Lauda had the necessary technical credentials. Instead he has appointed the little-known engineer Tony Purnell to the position of director of technology for Ford's premier performance division which includes the Jaguar team and, engine manufacturers Cosworth racing.
The decision left Lauda bewildered after he had been summoned to England on Monday as he prepared to leave Vienna to fly to the first winter testing at Barcelona.
"Richard asked me instead to detour to England and be in his office at one o'clock on Monday afternoon. I walked in and he said 'Niki, I have to change the philosophy of running the Formula One team.' He told me that he was going to appoint Tony Purnell to run the show. I said, 'OK, fine, but what have I done wrong?' He said 'you've not done anything wrong.' "I'm surprised that he took this decision which effectively means the team starting all over again."
