Mercedes chief reveals team's missed deadlines and 'chaotic' environment

Mercedes' chief operating officer Rob Thomas has admitted that the team were in chaotic shape when they took over from Brawn GP in 2010, missing some important deadlines.

The early days of the team weren't the most productive, despite Ross Brawn staying on with the organisation and some star power behind the wheel.

Seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher came out of retirement to drive with the team, but was only able to add one more podium to his illustrious CV in three seasons with Mercedes.

Toto Wolff and Paddy Lowe took over the reins in 2014, and guided Mercedes to eight consecutive constructors' championships, as well as helping Lewis Hamilton win six of his seven drivers' world championship titles.

Mercedes' failed plans

Now, Thomas is reflecting on the early days of Mercedes' reintegration into the sport in which they had previously competed in both as an engine manufacturer and team.

Thomas joined in 2010, the year after the Brawn GP team had won both the drivers' and constructors' world championships.

“There were detailed plans, but they weren’t really respected,” he told PlanetF1.

“A lot of internal dates were a bit optional, and we’d do our best to hit those deadlines, but generally we didn’t.

“Things got later and later and what you ended up was people working in a chaotic firefighting way, trying to get parts together.

“We wouldn’t get either the result we needed from performance or reliability either. That all leads to going to the first races in a massively sub-optimal condition, not getting the learning you want and leading to people being burnt out.”

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