PlanetF1

Haug: Someone had to go

Saturday 15-December-2012 13:00

Departing Mercedes-Benz motorsport boss Norbert Haug admits that his exit is results-related.

Haug will leave the position at the end of the year after 22 years of distinguished service. While he remains highly rated in the motorsport world, recent projects have not worked out as was hoped.

The German headed Mercedes' return to Formula One as a constructor in 2010, a return that has not heralded the success that was hoped.

While Haug insists that the decision was by mutual consent, he admits that results where the deciding factor in the decision.

"There is always somebody who has to accept overall responsibility," he told German news agency SID.

"Of course we have had our successes in the past three years, but not consistently enough so a direction had to be set and a marker laid down."

There has been speculation that Haug's departure was as a result of Niki Lauda's arrival at the team in October as non-executive chairman.

However, Haug has refuted such suggestions.

"I would like to once again make it clear that this is a decision that the board and myself reached jointly by mutual agreement," he said.

"Niki had absolutely nothing to do with it. We get on and respect each other just like we have done for many years and that is not about to change."