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can overcome the autonomy/responsibility
conflict and that can take responsibility
for their decisions. The Team Principal
must simplify all aspects from
organization to communication and to the
technical choices and avoid the fake
complacence of empty words and the
cowardry of half truths. He must be able
to praise in public and criticize in private.
He has to recognize the credits of his
staff, credits that are usually superior to
his. The Team Principal must not
exaggerate."
From a Director of Sport's standpoint,
what is the secret to make the right
calls?
«The Director of Sport essentially follows
the orders of his Team Principal and is
entitled of knowing and apply the
sporting rulebook. Unfortunately,
sometimes the Director of Sport is a
former driver, a former chief mechanic or
a part-time person, an amateur in the
role. The consequence are errors,
mistakes, losses of time, fines, penalties,
time lost, economic damages with the
sponsor and image damages with the
media. You cannot improvise being an
engineer or a mechanic, but I have seen
improvised, rude and incompetent
Directors of Sport».
Representative and manager always
existed, but in the last few years they
assumed each day a stronger
importance. Is it an avoidable
damage?
«Drivers usually become more famous at
tender age, when their fragile character
usually requires a wise lead. However, I
think that managers and representatives
are an useless cost for the "Motor Racing
system". The manager first act in his own
interest, and not always in the driver's. A
manager is like the framework for a
young tree at the park that prevents it
from growing healthy and strong from its
roots. As a result, when the framework is
missing (because the manager changes
tree) the tree itself dies as it can't carry
its own ways. There are too many fragile
drivers that blame the world because they
can't get the results they pretend to
deserve. So let's make space and time for
who can really carry their own weight
both in contracts, technical discussions
with mechanics and engineers, public
occasione, interviews with journalists. Let
everybody show who they are and be
accessible outside the world of racing. Of
course, when the visor is down, the driver
must be left out with himself and his own
dreams».
Last time around we analyzed the
Team Principal role and explained
which skills he must have. What kind
of path would you suggest for
someone looking forward to become a
GP2, WSR or Formula 1 mechanic?
«The path I suggest to a good young
mechanic 18 to 20 years old is to attend
a serious professional school. Then
continue by getting some practical
experience, for example at a car dealer
during weekends to begin. Even without
getting money except for expenses. Also,
