F1: I've made McLaren less political - Boullier

McLaren racing director Eric Boullier believes he has turned the Formula 1 team into a much leaner organization, stripping away the politics and ensuring there is "no bulls**t."

Boullier has spent the last two and a half years at McLaren attempting to transform the team behind the scenes, and to establish a more streamlined way of working in a bid to revitalise its fortunes. Progress has been relatively slow, but Boullier is convinced the right working practices are in place, even if he concedes he "can't be happy" at the fact the team has still to return to the top step of the F1 podium.

"I'm racing to win, but obviously we don't yet have a package that allows us to fight for wins, so as long as I don't have this then I will never ever be happy," Boullier said. "Nevertheless, where I am happy is how the team – which I have obviously drastically changed – has evolved.

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"The team of people I have around me – technically leading the team – from Pete Prodromou, to Tim Goss, Matt Morris, and others, are working very well together. I'm sure you've noticed how quiet we are – there are no stories around us, and generally when there are no stories it is because things are going well.

"We have a very co-operative and collaborative way of working, which was new to McLaren, but without changing the DNA of McLaren we moved to this new model, which was my wish, and it's good. I'm happy with that.

"We simply changed the way McLaren was working, compared with before. We kept the best, improved the weaknesses. From what could have been a very political model, we have no politics, no bulls**t."

Boullier feels some of the problems taking place behind the scenes at Ferrari resemble those he has managed to remove from McLaren.

"My philosophy is the same as I had at Enstone [with Lotus], or with DAMS," added Boullier. "Once you make people comfortable to work, and take that comfort forward, for what they are paid for it's brilliant.

"But you need to avoid too many bypasses, up and down, because this is what kills a team, and this is what's happening with the red [Ferrari]. But it takes time. Look at Ross Brawn. It took him a few years to make Ferrari winners, a few years to take Mercedes to where it is, and it's the same for Red Bull."

Boullier feels the approach McLaren has adopted bodes for well for 2017 and beyond.

"The team now is lean – not lean in a way of being smaller, but lean in a way of less weight to carry," added Boullier. "The team is good, flexible and creative, and I trust them, and everything is looking positive for next year. You can see our path over the last two years, from a very hectic time, and now we are closing."

Originally on Autosport.com