Whitmarsh is new FOTA chair, what will the future bring?
December 10, 2009 by vmr
Filed under People & Events, Top Story
Today, the Formula One Teams Association held a meeting in Monaco, also the location of the Motor Sport Business Forum being held this week. Autosport just announced that Ferrari team principal and current FOTA chair Luca di Montezemolo, who will be stepping down from his position of authority in the team’s association at the end of this month, will be replaced by McLaren principal Martin Whitmarsh (who, himself, replaced former McLarenF1 boss Ron Dennis at the beginning of the 2009 season).
Autosport also reported that Ross Brawn, MercedesGP (formerly known as BrawnGP) team principal, will remain in charge of the Technical Working Group, while Christian Horner, Red Bull team principal, was voted head of the Sporting Working Group.
What is unclear is how Whitmarsh’s appointment will affect the often antagonistic relationship between FOTA, the FIA (whose president is now the somewhat less controversial than former president Max Mosley but equally opinionated former Ferrari boss Jean Todt), and Bernie Eccelstone and his Formula One Management. di Montezemolo, along with disgraced and removed former Renault team principal Flavio Briatore, was a staunch proponent of the breakaway series made up of current F1 teams this summer during negotiations over budget caps and a new Concorde Agreement. Force India and Williams were kicked out of FOTA over their early signage of the Agreement. Currently, all teams announced as part of the 2010 F1 grid by the FIA are members of FOTA.
In comparison to di Montezemolo, Whitmarsh has often seemed like the calmer, more rational big brother of the biggest teams in F1. While not adverse to announcing his opinion, Whitmarsh tends to appear more controlled and less attention-seeking than his Italian counterpart, with his suggestion of many, many Ferraris on the grid and various other publicity gigs, including the beaching of a Ferrari California in a gravel trap during Ferrari Days in Valencia a few weeks ago.
Instead, Whitmarsh tends to say what the rest of the paddock is thinking (or knows) and is possibly unwilling to say, while remaining logical. One might presume that the future of F1 might be a bit calmer with a less flamboyant presence heading FOTA, until the long-time Ferrari/McLaren rivalry is examined and the possible antagonism of a former Ferrari chief heading FIA is noted. Who’s to know? The only thing for sure is that F1 is never dull, no matter who is in charge.
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I liked the old photo you used – I presume they didn’t offer a new one? Dennis and Flav were still in attendance and it gave me a shock, until I read the article.
That was the one we had, and when I thought about it, it felt appropriately cheeky, and a good way for observant readers to get a bit of a chuckle. Good job, noticing!
Not to mention Dr. Mario and John Howett. One FIA election, a recession and a breakaway threat go a long way, it seems.