Renault confirm role for former fia employee marcin budkowski but rivals question three-month notice period

Natasha Henry 06 October 2017 3:01pm BST Renault Sport Racing have confirmed that former FIA employee Marcin Budkowski will join as their new Executive Director following weeks of

speculation within the paddock. Budkowski has previously worked for Ferrari as a wind tunnel supervisor and was head of aerodynamics at McLaren; but his last role saw was as the technical

and sporting co-ordinator of the governing body. His resignation from the FIA was confirmed during the weekend of the Malaysian Grand Prix, and he will serve at least three months of

gardening leave. But there are concerns in the paddock regarding the knowledge he picked up in his previous role which relates to the intellectual property of Renault’s rivals - including

their future plans. Managing Director of Renault, Cyril Abiteboul said: "It was clear that the Renault Sport Racing management structure needed reinforcing. Marcin's mission will

be to continue the strengthening of Enstone to enable Renault to join the top Formula 1 teams by 2020, through relying on the proven personnel of the likes of Bob Bell, Nick Chester and Rob

White. "Marcin’s arrival is excellent news and further proof of our determination to achieve our goals. "There have been a lot of positive changes these last few months at Renault

Sport Racing with an accelerated expansion at Enstone, the restructuring of our engine deployment from Viry with the supply of two top customer teams for 2018, three titles in a row in an

increasingly competitive Formula E championship and other motor racing categories, and the arrival of new strategic partners. All of this is happening in a context where the seasons are

longer and more intense." Christian Horner, Red Bull Racing team principal, was very vocal regarding his thoughts while in Sepang. He has been joined by Mercedes' Toto Wolff and

Ferrari's Maurizio Arrivabene in calling for the 40-year-old to spend more time away from the sport. In Malaysia, he said: “We take major issue with that if he does end up in another

team. Obviously you place an enormous amount of trust in the role that Marcin has been responsible for. “He has been in an extremely privileged position where he has recently been in

people’s (team’s) wind tunnels, looking at intimate details of next year’s cars. “Three months notice period for him to then turn up in a competitor’s team is entirely inappropriate and I am

sure it will get discussed quite seriously at the next strategy group meeting. I believe the industry standard (notice) for a role such as Marcin’s would be anything between 12 and 18

months. “It is important that teams can place trust in the governing body (FIA) that they can share and discuss their technical know how and secrets, which cost millions and millions of

pounds, with confidence that the information does not end up with a rival team.” Abiteboul has been quick to sit down with the FIA in order to discuss extending the three months and has been

quick to stress that the Poland-born designer will be in a non-technical role.