McLaren reshuffle begins: Sam Michael to leave F1 at end of 2014

McLaren is in the process of change and the first big name to move on is Sam Michael, sporting director of the team. Michael will complete the season and then return to Australia with his family in a move he has planned since March of this year.

Michael, who handed his notice in at the start of the season, joined the team from Williams where he was technical director during the BMW years. Martin Whitmarsh, who appointed him to the McLaren post, intended him to be heir apparent in the succession plan as team principal, but Whitmarsh lost his job before the start of this year after McLaren's dismal 2013 season.

There is no word yet who is set to replace Michael as sporting director, but it's a plum role for someone.

Racing director Eric Boullier is overseeing a restructuring of McLaren's technical staff with four new aerodynamicists coming in, including Peter Prodromou, who was Adrian Newey's key lieutenant at Red Bull during their title winning seasons.

McLaren has denied that technical chief Tim Goss and acting CEO Jonathan Neale are set to leave the team. They have also denied that Gerhand Berger is being lined up by shareholders to replace Ron Dennis. Berger, incidentally, has told colleagues of his intention to resign as head of the FIA's single seater commission at the end of this year.