Norbert Haug is out!

[gloomyDAY]

Norbert Haug to leave Mercedes role at the end of 2012 - F1 news - AUTOSPORT.com

This is highly unexpected. Is this another Adam Parr story in the making? I know Mercedes were having a troubling time coming to terms with the Concorde Agreement. Maybe we're now seeing some fallout from such terse negotiations.

[Tazio]

The whole Mercedes project has shifted emphasis and tone since the curious decision was taken by Daimler’s board to hire Niki Lauda in an “overseeing” capacity. Lauda will not be based at Mercedes F1 in Brackley, but will stick his oar in and throw in the odd hand-grenade when he feels like it.

I guess "Ol' One Ear" ran him out of Dodge :

[zako85]

I will never forget the stone face that Norbert Haug had right after Schumacher's crash in 2010 Abu Adhabi GP.

[i_max2k2]

I will never forget the stone face that Norbert Haug had right after Schumacher's crash in 2010 Abu Adhabi GP.

I remember that too, truly told the story at the moment I still liked him, he always had a positive wrap around things.

[AndyL]

I think the good Doctor is probably not far from the truth. Apparently the new Mercedes GP management structure involves Ross Brawn running the team in Brackley while Niki Lauda launches doodlebugs at him from Stuttgart.

[Tazio]

Sometimes after working at the same firm for 22 years it is just time to move on. As much as I would like to believe that James Allen makes a pretty persuasive argument that he left because the Works Team simply didn’t produce the goods and he is taking the bullet. However that is only one mans opinion

That project has not delivered the expected results, despite investment and commitment from parent company Daimler and it is clear in Haug’s parting words that he recognises that his head was on the block as the results were not good enough,
“Since 1991, we had tremendous achievements and wins, for which I want to thank all of my colleagues,” he said. “Unfortunately, with one victory in 2012 since founding our own Formula One works team in 2010, we couldn’t fulfil our own expectations. However, we have taken the right steps to be successful in the future.”

This is corporate speak for, “We failed and I take the blame.” It’s sad for a long career like this to end in failure, but its surprisingly common
Mercedes turns the page as Haug leaves

Probably a good chance he was feeling some pressure from the stockholders to step down, and was allowed to make a (somewhat) graceful exit. I thought the guy was a class act.

[Seppala]

According to German newspapers Mercedes fired him because of the loss of the DTM title and the unsuccessful Formula 1 project.
They also say that Niki Lauda said that he expected that Haug will be fired, but was surprised that they already did it.

[CNR]

Michael Schumacher saddened by Haug's exit from Mercedes - F1 news - AUTOSPORT.com

Michael Schumacher has declared that Norbert Haug's departure from Mercedes will "tear a massive hole" in both the German firm's motorsport efforts and Formula 1 itself.

[Tazio]

Could Mike be any more melodramatic? nore:

[F1boat]

I will miss Norbert, he was a nice guy, I think.