Discussion
There is an article in today Fridays) Telegraph about Angela Cullen - Lewis's ever present shadow.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/formula-1/2021/12/10/p...
Just how close does she have to be?
It seems to be an odd thing -bobble monitor when hammy takes his balaclava off, he's scooting around the pit lane whilst she runs alongside with his bags etc. There is close and then literally joined at the hips.
I don't see other drivers benfitting from such close 'attention'.
Maybe Max needs to give her a 'rub' (Cos racings rubbing according to Days of Thunder) or offer her a mental amount of £££ to put Lewis off?
All slightly tongue in cheek, does seem to be an odd carry on, but I have to say, although it's none of my business, and good luck to them both, a bit unusual.
Maybe she could train my missus to look after me as attentively. (only joking of course, Mrs does a much better job!
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/formula-1/2021/12/10/p...
Just how close does she have to be?
It seems to be an odd thing -bobble monitor when hammy takes his balaclava off, he's scooting around the pit lane whilst she runs alongside with his bags etc. There is close and then literally joined at the hips.
I don't see other drivers benfitting from such close 'attention'.
Maybe Max needs to give her a 'rub' (Cos racings rubbing according to Days of Thunder) or offer her a mental amount of £££ to put Lewis off?
All slightly tongue in cheek, does seem to be an odd carry on, but I have to say, although it's none of my business, and good luck to them both, a bit unusual.
Maybe she could train my missus to look after me as attentively. (only joking of course, Mrs does a much better job!
Edited by andygo on Friday 10th December 21:12
Eddie Irvine used to go everywhere with his physio - his sister.
Jenson had ‘Mikey Muscles’
Don’t see why it’s a problem.
The only thing I’m curious about is how it works structurally. Is she a Mercedes employee or Lewis’ employee?
She wears Mercedes gear. So is she a Mercedes employee that Lewis contractually pays for or……?
Jenson had ‘Mikey Muscles’
Don’t see why it’s a problem.
The only thing I’m curious about is how it works structurally. Is she a Mercedes employee or Lewis’ employee?
She wears Mercedes gear. So is she a Mercedes employee that Lewis contractually pays for or……?
Muzzer79 said:
Eddie Irvine used to go everywhere with his physio - his sister.
Jenson had ‘Mikey Muscles’
Don’t see why it’s a problem.
The only thing I’m curious about is how it works structurally. Is she a Mercedes employee or Lewis’ employee?
She wears Mercedes gear. So is she a Mercedes employee that Lewis contractually pays for or……?
I understand she's a Lewis employee and part of his contracted offering that the team pays for via his 'salary'. So primarily she is loyal to Lewis, over and above the team... Although in reality that's the same thing by all accounts.Jenson had ‘Mikey Muscles’
Don’t see why it’s a problem.
The only thing I’m curious about is how it works structurally. Is she a Mercedes employee or Lewis’ employee?
She wears Mercedes gear. So is she a Mercedes employee that Lewis contractually pays for or……?
As for whether or not it's weird - it's not at all imo. Her job is to get the very best from Lewis, and she achieves that (in part) by doing everything for him so he can focus on.... Focussing. He's frequently proved to be one of, if not the most focused and composed driver on the grid, so I'd say she's getting it right.
There's certainly no doubting she loves her job and is totally dedicated to it.
andygo said:
There is an article in today Fridays) Telegraph about Angela Cullen - Lewis's ever present shadow.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/formula-1/2021/12/10/p...
Just how close does she have to be?
It seems to be an odd thing -bobble monitor when hammy takes his balaclava off, he's scooting around the pit lane whilst she runs alongside with his bags etc. There is close and then literally joined at the hips.
I don't see other drivers benfitting from such close 'attention'.
Maybe Max needs to give her a 'rub' (Cos racings rubbing according to Days of Thunder) or offer her a mental amount of £££ to put Lewis off?
All slightly tongue in cheek, does seem to be an odd carry on, but I have to say, although it's none of my business, and good luck to them both, a bit unusual.
Maybe she could train my missus to look after me as attentively. (only joking of course, Mrs does a much better job!
.....nurrrrrse!!https://www.telegraph.co.uk/formula-1/2021/12/10/p...
Just how close does she have to be?
It seems to be an odd thing -bobble monitor when hammy takes his balaclava off, he's scooting around the pit lane whilst she runs alongside with his bags etc. There is close and then literally joined at the hips.
I don't see other drivers benfitting from such close 'attention'.
Maybe Max needs to give her a 'rub' (Cos racings rubbing according to Days of Thunder) or offer her a mental amount of £££ to put Lewis off?
All slightly tongue in cheek, does seem to be an odd carry on, but I have to say, although it's none of my business, and good luck to them both, a bit unusual.
Maybe she could train my missus to look after me as attentively. (only joking of course, Mrs does a much better job!
Edited by andygo on Friday 10th December 21:12
snotrag said:
I've read about her before over the years, and yes I recall she is employed technically by Lewis, not the team. And it works, clearly.
I am sure she is being paid well too, wonder if there's a nice bonus written into the contract pending a result on Sunday..!
I am sure I read her salary was 100k but I bet he will give her a bit more at the end of season, especially if he wins.I am sure she is being paid well too, wonder if there's a nice bonus written into the contract pending a result on Sunday..!
Link is paywalled btw, so can't read it.
But, it is no different to, say, a musician's tour manager attaching & plugging in a musicians in-ear monitors & guitar - set to the level they like - and turning on the mic and handing it to them in the seconds before they step on stage, then handing them a towel when they come off, and making sure the drinks on stage and the drinks & food in the green room are as specified. Small details that matter.
It's about personality, attention to detail, trust, and when you find a fit for all of those, you tend to hold onto that - there is then simply less for the artist/athelete to worry about in terms of silly crap which can become a distraction or consume time, so they can fully focus on their job.
You can't have, say, a different member of the team or whoever happens to be close by helping to put on the balaclava with the hair - it is done a specific way for comfort, and it is another distraction to not worry about while remaining focused - you can't be explaining every time to someone 'no, it needs to be this way'. It needs to be consistent.
They are a useful buffer between irritations/distractions and the artist/athlete.
They all have them to varying degrees, and are ever present, you only really notice in this case because of a) the focus of the camera on lewis, which of course she is near all the time, and b) she is a blonde bird in a predominantly male environment.
But, it is no different to, say, a musician's tour manager attaching & plugging in a musicians in-ear monitors & guitar - set to the level they like - and turning on the mic and handing it to them in the seconds before they step on stage, then handing them a towel when they come off, and making sure the drinks on stage and the drinks & food in the green room are as specified. Small details that matter.
It's about personality, attention to detail, trust, and when you find a fit for all of those, you tend to hold onto that - there is then simply less for the artist/athelete to worry about in terms of silly crap which can become a distraction or consume time, so they can fully focus on their job.
You can't have, say, a different member of the team or whoever happens to be close by helping to put on the balaclava with the hair - it is done a specific way for comfort, and it is another distraction to not worry about while remaining focused - you can't be explaining every time to someone 'no, it needs to be this way'. It needs to be consistent.
They are a useful buffer between irritations/distractions and the artist/athlete.
They all have them to varying degrees, and are ever present, you only really notice in this case because of a) the focus of the camera on lewis, which of course she is near all the time, and b) she is a blonde bird in a predominantly male environment.
Edited by GCH on Friday 10th December 22:33
Kym Illman (F1 Photographer) produced an interesting video about Angela’s role, it’s worth a watch:
https://youtu.be/Lg_t5nh4zWo
https://youtu.be/Lg_t5nh4zWo
Mac. said:
Kym Illman (F1 Photographer) produced an interesting video about Angela’s role, it’s worth a watch:
https://youtu.be/Lg_t5nh4zWo
Thanks for the link. https://youtu.be/Lg_t5nh4zWo
It happens in a lot of sport, Rossi had Uccio by his side for most of his career, a mate more than an employee, but it seemed Rossi could not even put his gloves on or literally do anything without this fella doing it.
I get it, but it adds a bit to the he is a bit of a prima donna perception I think, but I guess that's because you see them all the damn time, I do feel with this chap he almost needs wet nursing and has given up his life completely at tracks to be chivvied around everywhere by her.
It works so fair play, but just comes across a bit odd.
I get it, but it adds a bit to the he is a bit of a prima donna perception I think, but I guess that's because you see them all the damn time, I do feel with this chap he almost needs wet nursing and has given up his life completely at tracks to be chivvied around everywhere by her.
It works so fair play, but just comes across a bit odd.
simonw67 said:
snotrag said:
I've read about her before over the years, and yes I recall she is employed technically by Lewis, not the team. And it works, clearly.
I am sure she is being paid well too, wonder if there's a nice bonus written into the contract pending a result on Sunday..!
I am sure I read her salary was 100k but I bet he will give her a bit more at the end of season, especially if he wins.I am sure she is being paid well too, wonder if there's a nice bonus written into the contract pending a result on Sunday..!
For anybody that follows McLaren, it's no secret that Charlotte is usually in or supporting most media that Lando Norris is seen in. I think it's the same thing with Angela and Lewis - you find someone you trust and they're there with you every step of the way. Lewis obviously has the media scrutiny (along with Max, but it looks like Max's chief supporter is Jos, which is fair and perhaps not as interesting to the media) but I'd expect most, if not all drivers, to have their crew roles defined and perhaps have a select few they'd travel closely with.
The Telegraph even admit at the bottom of their article, that it’s a re-hash of something first written two years ago.
It’s very notable that Lewis has kept the same trainer and race engineer - the two people with whom he works most closely - for the last half a decade of success.
Angela is obviously a key member of his team, and she works well with him, but all the top drivers will have full-time trainers, who have the job on race weekend of doing pretty much everything that might take their focus off driving the car. To know exactly where he is and where he needs to be, every minute of the weekend.
We only notice Angela because she is distinctive looking in the F1 paddock - all the camera operators and journalists will recognise her at 100 yards in a sea of people in team attire - and most of the articles written about her seem to have some sort of ‘angle’ that it’s ‘unusual’ for a middle-aged woman with a family to be doing a job like this, requiring weeks of travel and close personal contact with the athlete. It does make for a good photo of Lewis his scooter in the paddock, with a blonde lady of diminutive stature running behind him in the background, carrying a couple of dozen kilos of his kit.
I’m sure she’ll be the first person to congratulate Lewis as he gets out of the car on Sunday - before quickly reminding him, as she always does, that he needs to go and get himself weighed first.
It’s very notable that Lewis has kept the same trainer and race engineer - the two people with whom he works most closely - for the last half a decade of success.
Angela is obviously a key member of his team, and she works well with him, but all the top drivers will have full-time trainers, who have the job on race weekend of doing pretty much everything that might take their focus off driving the car. To know exactly where he is and where he needs to be, every minute of the weekend.
We only notice Angela because she is distinctive looking in the F1 paddock - all the camera operators and journalists will recognise her at 100 yards in a sea of people in team attire - and most of the articles written about her seem to have some sort of ‘angle’ that it’s ‘unusual’ for a middle-aged woman with a family to be doing a job like this, requiring weeks of travel and close personal contact with the athlete. It does make for a good photo of Lewis his scooter in the paddock, with a blonde lady of diminutive stature running behind him in the background, carrying a couple of dozen kilos of his kit.
I’m sure she’ll be the first person to congratulate Lewis as he gets out of the car on Sunday - before quickly reminding him, as she always does, that he needs to go and get himself weighed first.
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