McLaren Racing has announced a leadership restructure of its racing operations, with immediate effect.

Chief Executive Zak Brown has confirmed that he has accepted Eric Boullier's resignation from his position as Racing Director, while also announcing a simplified technical leadership team.

Simon Roberts, COO of McLaren Racing, will oversee production, engineering and logistics. Andrea Stella is appointed Performance Director, responsible for trackside operations. Gil de Ferran takes up the new role of Sporting Director, to maximise the effectiveness of the team's racing package.

According to the Woking outfit "these changes are the beginning of a comprehensive programme of positive changes to the technical leadership of McLaren's racing organisation. The team will invest to retain and attract the best talent, internally and externally, to return McLaren Racing to the front of the grid."

"The performance of the MCL33 in 2018 has not met the expectations of anyone at McLaren, especially our loyal fans," said Zak Brown. "This is not the fault of the hundreds of committed and hard-working men and women at McLaren.

"The causes are systemic and structural, which require major change from within. With today's announcement, we start to address those issues head on and take the first step on our road to recovery.

"I would like to take this opportunity on behalf of the entire team to thank Eric for his service and contribution to McLaren and wish him well in his future endeavours."

"I am very proud to have worked with such a brilliant team over the past four years," added Eric Boullier, "but I recognise now is the right time for me to step down. I want to wish everyone at McLaren the best for the remainder of the season and for the future."

The move comes two weeks after the Daily Mail claimed that Boullier would be out by the British Grand Prix - the Frenchman subsequently getting involved in a heated exchange with the journalist behind the story at the official press conference at Paul Ricard - and as a result must add a certain amount of credence to the claims of unrest within the team, claims that included a "toxic" atmosphere and "useless" management.

Furthermore, at a time Christian Horner claims that Mercedes strategist James Vowles was "thrown under the bus" by the German team, one has to point out that Boullier was not responsible for the design of the MCL33, nor was he responsible for the decision to drop Honda in favour of Renault.

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READERS COMMENTS

1. Posted by Yeyox02, 05/07/2018 13:07

"Mr Boullier is just another scapegoat. There is not a real technical leadership and management at McLaren. Honda was another smoke screen."

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2. Posted by Mark, 05/07/2018 1:58

"He was hired on the basis of the performance of Lotus/Renault, for which he was not entirely responsible and fired on the basis of the performance of McLaren, for which he was not entirely responsible."

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3. Posted by ESTMPRFT, 04/07/2018 18:46

"If it's Brown, flush it!"

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4. Posted by MVR, 04/07/2018 17:41

"" "This is not the fault of the hundreds of committed and hard-working men and women at McLaren.""

So whose fault is it then that the car doesn't perform? Someone outside McLaren?"

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5. Posted by Elf Team Tyrrell, 04/07/2018 16:44

"Boullier is a good start......remember he was pretty lacklustre before the Brown era. Brown MUST be next, followed by Alonso.
I think McLaren should avoid a big name/high salary driver for next year and the year after and concentrate on luring Newey back to oversee the design of a decent car. Only then can they hope to get sponsors and big name drivers.
10/10 though to McLaren for making a start at ditching the dead wood. "

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6. Posted by Rock Doc, 04/07/2018 13:03

"I agree with Peter Rickitt, Brown is the one who should be walking out the door. "

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7. Posted by -ape-, 04/07/2018 12:36

"Kick out Alonso , this guy brings poison to the teams with his polemics and inability to give the right feedback to the engineers. "

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8. Posted by PlayF1, 04/07/2018 11:26

"It is extremely difficult to know what has being going on at McLaren ... until the book comes out ;)
The closest we get, are the staff reports via the 'Glass Doors' site.

They claim 'poor management' and a 'buddy culture'.

One statement stands out (from last week or so) by Boullier ... 'an F1 team can't win a championship without works support'.

This came as a shock, as it contradicts what happened, when Honda were ditched.

My guess is that EB held an alternative view to the decision that was taken, and was therefore not on the same management page.
... hence he is out.

Crazy though, to do this just before Silverstone :("

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9. Posted by Motorsport-fan, 04/07/2018 10:56

""The causes are systemic and structural" thats a phrase that needs more explaining and suggests more than Mr Boullier to face the chop."

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10. Posted by Peter Rickitt, 04/07/2018 10:55

"More blame-shifting and bull from the bumptious Brown - his failure to produce major sponsorship, the area of his supposed expertise, and now his 'restructuring' ( new titles for new people ) as a 'first step' ( after how long ?) on yet another 'road to recovery' exemplifies the mouthy shallowness of his approach and his navigation down the wrong road in the wrong direction - 'time to go, Zeberdee Zak."

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11. Posted by imejl99, 04/07/2018 10:52

"Does this feels wrong, or is it just me? 2 days before FP1 at home race, couldn`t wait till Monday? Called it "Announcement of a leadership restructure"? 3 headed team, it would be the first to success? It does sound soft and clueless and useless. I would feel different if it was Zak Brown, with Boullier staying. I can not explain exactly why, but it wouldn`t have felt as wrong as this feels."

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Boullier out at McLaren

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