Former McLaren boss Whitmarsh takes on new F1 role

[January 17, 2018]    LONDON (Reuters) - Former McLaren team boss Martin Whitmarsh is returning to Formula One in a temporary role advising the sport's governing body on cost control measures.

CEO of the Land Rover BAR team Martin Whitmarsh during a press conference Action Images via Reuters / Andrew Couldridge

A spokesman for the International Automobile Federation (FIA) said on Tuesday that the Briton had been invited to help them "in defining financial regulations for fair and sustainable competition."

Whitmarsh left former world champions McLaren, a team he had been with for 25 years, in 2014 when his predecessor Ron Dennis resumed control. Dennis has since also left McLaren and sold his shares.

After leaving Formula One, where he had also been chairman of the now-defunct teams' association FOTA, Whitmarsh became chief executive of Olympic yachtsman Ben Ainslie's America's Cup challenge in 2015.

He was replaced in that role last November, taking an advisory position instead.

Whitmarsh is also on the Global Advisory Board of electric series Formula E.

(Reporting by Alan Baldwin, editing by Toby Davis)

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