Reflecting on his resolution to go away Pink Bull on the finish of the 2023 F1 season, Rob Marshall has revealed that he wanted to discover a new motivation in his skilled life.
Rob Marshall joined McLaren Racing in January 2024 following a profitable 17-year interval with Pink Bull Racing. As a part of Andrea Stella’s F1 Technical Government group, Marshall is supported by Neil Houldey who’s the Technical Director of the McLaren’s Engineering division.
On the eve of the announcement, McLaren described Marshall’s appointment as “one of many basic steps taken by the group to underpin their journey in the direction of the entrance of the grid”.
Throughout his tenure at Pink Bull, the 56-year-old carefully collaborated with chief designer Adrian Newey and performed a key function within the group’s title wins with Max Verstappen and Sebastian Vettel.
Reflecting on Marshall’s first yr at McLaren, the Woking-based outfit’s group boss Andrea Stella has hailed former Pink Bull’s engineer’s enter.
“Rob got here with a wealth of expertise, information from a technical standpoint, with a fame from this standpoint,” began Stella.
“If something, we’ve been impressed much more than what we anticipated due to these qualities, just like the information of the way you design a automobile, particularly from a automobile format standpoint. This is essential for 2025 and this might be essential for 2026.”
Marshall has now revealed that he obtained a suggestion from McLaren on the proper time as he was searching for for a brand new chapter in his profession after the lengthy profitable years at Pink Bull.
“From a private standpoint, [McLaren] requested me on the proper time. I used to be at some extent the place I believed: ‘If I don’t transfer to a different group now, I’m in all probability right here perpetually.’
“I used to be pleased to be there perpetually. I actually loved my time at Pink Bull, it was an important place to work. However then you definitely get to the stage the place you’re going stale, you’re in denial.”
He continued: “I believe I used to be discovering stuff a bit too straightforward, a bit too comfy. You knew everyone, you needed to get every thing completed. It was all a bit slick. After which the telephone rings saying: ‘Do you wish to go away?’ And also you’re about to say: ‘No’. And for some purpose, you simply can’t.”
“As a result of at that time, you form of go: ‘I’ve been kidding myself, I believe it’s in all probability time to go.’”
Marshall reckoned that he left Pink Bull on good phrases, expressing aid that the Milton Keynes-based group managed to proceed to achieve success with out him.
“Now I’m completely glad I went and I’m actually pleased that I left Pink Bull the appropriate means. You’d wish to assume nobody desires to be indispensable however they’ve clearly been in a position to handle with out me, which is nice for them. You don’t wish to go away anyplace within the lurch.”
F1GP Las Vegas