FIA technical chief to join Renault

[Rob Dylan]

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/132095/fia-man-mooted-renault-move-a-major-issue

So Marcin Budkowski, the (now-former) technical head of the FIA, is mooted to be joining Renault once his gardening leave finishes around Christmas time. This guy sees the teams' cars, how they work, what they're developing, as a mediator to make sure everything is legal and fair. And now it appears he may be joining Renault for the 2018 season.

Lots of outcry from the teams (see link above). It will be interesting to see what actually comes of this, and if anything will be done to stop it.

[tommykl]

There's no surprise as to why this is controversial. Budkowski has knowledge of every innovation that F1 teams have attempted to introduce, and bringing said knowledge as well as undoubtedly the best idea of what is legal (and most importantly illegal). This gives Renault a tremendous advantage, because they now have information on possible future developments, as well as how to legally implement them.

[DemocalypseNow]

As with any development in Formula 1, the rest of the teams are throwing their toys out of the pram only because they didn't manage to do it first.

I don't think the wishes of the other Formula 1 teams will have any chance of overruling employment law. It might be considered ethically dubious, but we're not talking about a switch from the public to private sector here.

[The Chicane]

I don't see how the teams can stop this from happening its fair game to Renault in my opinion, maybe the other teams should of hired him first.

[watka]

Just seems like Renault were the first team to think of it and now everyone is mad that they didn't think of it first.

Mind you, I would have thought the gardening leave would be much longer.

[mario]

Just seems like Renault were the first team to think of it and now everyone is mad that they didn't think of it first.

Mind you, I would have thought the gardening leave would be much longer.

It seems that is because Budkowski is based in the FIA's offices in Geneva and his contract is therefore governed by Swiss employment law. The maximum "gardening leave" period permitted under Swiss law seems to be three months, so the FIA cannot impose a longer "gardening leave" period.

[dinizintheoven]

I think we're losing sight of the real issue here, which is what Marcin Budkowski's garden is going to look like when the three months are up. If he's got a proper garden then I'd recommend planting Prunus x subhirtella now, because it flowers in winter and by January it should be an explosion of pink somewhere along the lines of when Sergio Pérez and Esteban Ocon have a particularly violent collision. No worries if all he's got is a window-box on a tenth-floor flat, because this tree was developed in Japan and should be suitable for bonsai. Failing that, there must be a few herbs that don't mind the extreme cold of a Swiss winter that could be harvested in the spring and sprinkled on a steak.

I'm sure we could get Alan Titchmarsh and Charlie Dimmock to give him a hand as well.

[dr-baker]

I'm sure we could get Charlie Dimmock to give him a hand as well.

Cor blimey guv'nor. Time for a cold shower now, methinks.

[sswishbone]

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/13216 ... ontroversy

Love how he says they have a good track record of being fair, just no one mention Singapore 2008...

[mario]

Having initially struck a bullish position, it sounds as if Renault might now be changing tack - Abiteboul has mentioned that he is in talks with the FIA about potentially putting Budkowski's start date at Renault back by an additional three months. Whilst Abiteboul has said that they "not want to be aggressive" in relation to Budkowski's start date, I wonder if Renault have been leant on by another party to delay Budkowski's start date. https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/rena ... 62025/?s=1