Button plays down Lowe blow

27/02/2013

Jenson Button insists that McLaren will not suffer despite a high level reshuffle which sees a change of Technical Director just two weeks before the start of the season.

While attention remains focussed on what will happen at Mercedes at year end when Paddy Lowe finishes in his garden and heads off to Brackley, there is also speculation as to how the changes will affect McLaren.

Speaking to the media today, Jenson button insisted that the managerial shenanigans within the technical department will not impact performance on track.

"I really like Paddy," he told reporters at the MTC. "It's been good fun working with him over the past three years, not just in a working relationship, but also as a friend because he is a good guy, a fun character. But things change, he wants to try something new, a new challenge, which is fair play to him. He has to think about number one. Good luck to him."

Asked about how Lowe's imminent departure, the 2009 world champion admitted: "I didn't come here because Paddy was here, I didn't come here because Lewis was here. I came here because this is McLaren, with its heritage and history - a word we always use, but it is the truth - and its strength in depth.

"It's not about one individual, it's about the full team, and Paddy leaving is part of the sport, people move around and go to different places. This team will succeed with or without Paddy in the future."

Referring to Tim Goss, a McLaren man since 1990, Button said: "Having Tim in the position he is now in, fantastic. He was exceptional in his previous role, and I think he will be in this role, he knows exactly what he is doing."

Meanwhile, McLaren managing director Jonathan Neale suggested that money played a large part in Lowe's decision to head to Brackley.

"In the market place at the moment, if you've a team and you want to go out and buy some short-term know-how then you can pay telephone number salaries, if that's what your business model is," said Neale. "From time to time we have all done it. It's not unique to any one particular team. People are prepared to pay exotic salaries and wait twelve or eighteen months, or longer in some cases. That's the state of the market.

"It would be disappointing if we weren't regarded as a place to hire good people because then I wouldn't be doing my job," he added. "The real test is whether we have got a system in place to pick up people from underneath, and I believe we have."

"We will certainly miss Paddy, he has been with us a long period of time. He's been here 19 years, and I've personally worked with him for 12. He is a great guy and on a personal level I'm sorry to see him go and do something else."