14 replies to this topic

[Chris Bloom]

I was just wondering if any other ex-Brabham employees, apart from Charlie Whiting and Herbie Blash, ended up in top FIA jobs?

I don't remember hearing any at the time but was there ever any controversey surrounding the employment of Whiting & Blash with the FIA? Considering the friendship between Mosley and Ecclestone I would have thought it would have raised a few eyebrows.

[f1steveuk]

I can only think of two others, and Bernie and Brabham had parted company along time before any of the ex Brabham staff went to the FIA. You also have to remember, Bernie didn't get them the jobs, in the same way Peter Wright wasn't put in the FIA by Chapman or Lotus, they were asked to go to the FIA (in Herbie and Charlie's cases from Activa, not Brabham at all) as "poachers turned gamekeepers", the same as Wright, and others were asked to move to the FIA.

So I think the answer to your question is four.

Edited by f1steveuk, 26 July 2011 - 13:09.

[kayemod]

...in the same way Peter Wright wasn't put in the FIA by Chapman or Lotus.

That would have been difficult in any case, PW didn't start work at the FIA until 1995, roughly thirteen years after Colin Chapman's death.

[f1steveuk]

That would have been difficult in any case, PW didn't start work at the FIA until 1995, roughly thirteen years after Colin Chapman's death.

That's true! but I think it still shows that those at the FIA aren't usually there as a favour to anyone, well, you'd like to think!

[Twin Window]

There was another guy whose name escapes me. He went from Brabham to the FIA (or maybe to FOCA first) in the mid-eighties and was the guy to see if you had a problem with accreditation. He sorted me out in '84 and again in '87 for differing reasons. Nice bloke - annoying I can't remember his name though!

[bsc]

Not the FIA; but former Brabham mechanic, Eddie Baker ended up running Bernie Ecclestone's Digital TV scheme during the late '90s/early 2000s.

[scheivlak]

Charlie already got a FIA technical delegate job in 1988, that was still in the Balestre era. Almost exactly at the time hat Bernie left Brabham behind BTW.

The Balestre era was of course not without FIA deals with Bernie either, but they were more of the 'Realpolitik' genre.

[f1steveuk]

Not the FIA; but former Brabham mechanic, Eddie Baker ended up running Bernie Ecclestone's Digital TV scheme during the late '90s/early 2000s.

Although that is nothing to do with the FIA of course! Eddie was actually my boss, and in fairness, there were/are a fair few ex Brabham chaps working in "Bakersville". Although some saw it as "jobs for the boys", to me, it showed how loyal Bernie is to his staff.

[Tony Robinson]

I was just wondering if any other ex-Brabham employees, apart from Charlie Whiting and Herbie Blash, ended up in top FIA jobs?

I don't remember hearing any at the time but was there ever any controversey surrounding the employment of Whiting & Blash with the FIA? Considering the friendship between Mosley and Ecclestone I would have thought it would have raised a few eyebrows.

Also Bruce Mcintosh,ex,BRP-Parnel Racing-Scuderia Serenissima-Brabham Racing-MaclaranCars-presently with Gordon Murray Designs, and the FIA. responsible for Tehnical in GP2

[Nigel Beresford]

Alan Woollard - Managed freighting
Nigel "Des" de Straeter (sp?)

The point is, if you were managing an organisation wouldn't you employ people you knew and trusted?

Edited by Nigel Beresford, 28 July 2011 - 19:28.

[f1steveuk]

Alan Woollard - Managed freighting
Nigel "Des" de Straeter (sp?)

The point is, if you were managing an organisation wouldn't you employ people you knew and trusted?

Don't know Alan, but I know Nigel, and as far as I am aware he has never worked for the FIA, although he does do the logistics still for FOM.

As has been said, Charlie went to the FIA in'88, Herbie left Brabham, and returned to and from Activa, the Yamaha project, as well as a couple of others, but at the end of the day, I would say, none of the Brabham personel that do/have worked for the FIA got their jobs because of Bernie's intervention.

I asked once to "transfer" to the FIA, and was told bluntly, "seperate entity, nothing to do with us (FOM), if they want you, they will approach you".

[Gary C]

.........which then begs the question, how many ex-FOM employees are on this forum??

[f1steveuk]

.........which then begs the question, how many ex-FOM employees are on this forum??

I open the bidding at four!

[Gary C]

Blimey. Two more than I thought!

[Nigel Beresford]

Don't know Alan, but I know Nigel, and as far as I am aware he has never worked for the FIA, although he does do the logistics still for FOM.

As has been said, Charlie went to the FIA in'88, Herbie left Brabham, and returned to and from Activa, the Yamaha project, as well as a couple of others, but at the end of the day, I would say, none of the Brabham personel that do/have worked for the FIA got their jobs because of Bernie's intervention.

I asked once to "transfer" to the FIA, and was told bluntly, "seperate entity, nothing to do with us (FOM), if they want you, they will approach you".

Guess I got my FIAs and FOMs mixed up - apologies.