As team boss, Millener must keep the bigger picture in mind, manage his drivers’ hopes and expectations, and ensure they remain satisfied – a task that is far from easy.
According to Millener, the most difficult aspect of his job is handling the egos of his drivers. However, he appreciates when drivers are bold enough to challenge his perspectives.
“I don’t think it’s unhealthy to have someone come in and challenge you now and then. It helps you focus on what you want to achieve,” Millener told RallyJournal.com
“It only becomes unhealthy if someone intentionally tries to get under your skin and frustrates you,” Millener added.
During the recently concluded season, Millener faced a tricky situation when Martins Sesks joined the team mid-season for a few rallies. Naturally, this stirred some unease among the team’s regular drivers, especially since Sesks exceeded expectations.
“Martins came to enjoy himself and achieved a very good result while doing so. Adrien (Fourmaux), of course, wasn’t happy about being beaten by Martins, but sometimes it’s good to have a reset. Even if you’re having a great season, things can change quickly,” Millener explained.
Sesks competed in M-Sport’s Ford Puma Rally1 car in Poland, Latvia, and Chile. For Fourmaux and M-Sport’s other driver, Gregoire Munster, this was a challenging period.
“I believe these are valuable lessons for drivers like Greg and Adrien to develop themselves. They shouldn’t be overly concerned because Martins was only on a short-term programme. It started as a two-event programme, which later stretched to three, but it was never a full-season effort,” Millener reminded.
Millener also pointed out that a top driver cannot become too fixated on the result of a single rally, even if an unexpected competitor performs better.
“Drivers need to learn not to get upset about the outcome of a single rally. The season consists of 13 events, not just one or two. That said, it’s never easy for them when they are beaten by someone in the same car,” Millener noted.
Sesks’ mid-season arrival at M-Sport was also a tough moment for Millener.
“There were some tricky moments towards the end of the season, and a few things happened that I expected, such as the dynamics caused by Martins’ arrival. We had discussions to ensure attention was shared among all drivers, not just those who performed well in a few rallies,” Millener revealed.
Top drivers are aware of their worth. Even though they are teammates, they remain competitors, and that inevitably shows.
“Tensions always exist, and this was the biggest tension we had to manage during the season. I don’t want to create internal conflicts among drivers. However, I think we handled it well enough. While the tension was noticeable, it was managed professionally, and the team’s spirit remained intact,” Millener concluded.
