30/08/2011
NEWS STORY
Pitpass hears that the Formula One Teams Association (FOTA) is set for a management shake-up over the next few weeks.
Our source says that in mid-September its secretary general Simone Perillo will be leaving, with talk that his replacement could come from outside F1. Former Toyota F1 team principal John Howett has been tipped for a top job in FOTA but it remains to be seen whether he is in line to replace Perillo.
FOTA is currently negotiating with F1's boss Bernie Ecclestone about the contents of a new Concorde Agreement, the contract which commits the teams to the sport, since the current draft expires at the end of next year. Ecclestone has told business editor Christian Sylt that neither he nor F1's majority owner CVC are in a hurry to sign a new draft. Given the importance of the negotiations it will be crucial for FOTA to replace Perillo with someone who has at least as much experience.
Perillo is a longstanding associate of Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo and he has been working at FOTA since the early days of the association. Before moving to FOTA Perillo was the deputy director of international affairs at Italian business trade association Confindustria where Montezemolo was president from 2004 to 2008.
Perillo is one of FOTA's most significant behind the scenes activists with his most public role being occasional spokesman for the association. It isn't yet clear where he will be going after leaving FOTA.