Suggestions on Twitter yesterday that Sam Michael would be confirmed at McLaren today have been proved accurate as the Williams man is to become Sporting Director of the Woking team.
The team said today: “As Vodafone McLaren Mercedes’ Sporting Director, Sam will join the senior management team in addition to taking specific responsibility for the development and management of the team’s trackside operations. His vast experience and profound understanding of race operations will enhance the team’s on-track capability, adding significantly to its already impressive technical management strength-in-depth.”
“I’m extremely excited to be joining Vodafone McLaren Mercedes,” said Michael. “Being a racer my whole life, I know that McLaren is one of the all-time greats of Formula 1. I already know and respect many of the team’s senior technical management figures, and becoming a member of that excellent working unit was one of the prime attractions of this new position.
“Equally, for some time I’ve closely observed and greatly admired both Lewis and Jenson as grade-one drivers, and therefore regard it as an enormous privilege to be able to work with both of them.
“I’ve spent 11 seasons with WilliamsF1, have many fond memories, and truly wish them all the best. In the near future, however, I will become 100 per cent focused on Vodafone McLaren Mercedes, and will be aiming to ensure that the team’s famous rocket-red victory T-shirts will be seen many times over the coming years.”
Martin Whitmarsh added: “I’m very pleased to welcome Sam as an important senior addition to our race team. He’ll bring a very valuable blend of experience and expertise to our pitwall, and will also enrich the technical management we provide for our drivers.
“I’m certain he’ll work extremely well with our senior technical management team, which I firmly believe will now become the strongest in all of Formula 1.”
Adam Cooper F1 
Crazy to fire him due to design of a bad car. Was Barichello not supposed to be the experienced driver who could develop the car???? He was a super asset to Williams and now they throw gold for the pigs. Mclaren must be stupid to pick him up or????? He was destined to take over at Williams now he can make Mclaeren a winner
I’m stll a bit sceptical as to what is actually going on at Williams, other than the obvious (finances). Scapegoating does not seem to me to be Frank Willams’ way of doing things, so I suspect there is more to Mr. Michael’s services no longer being required than meets the eye. Never the less, he wouldn’t be the first person to step out of one bad employment situation and step into one that suited him better. I surely wish he and Mclaren ‘bonn chance.’