Formula One Teams' Association | FOTA

Fans’ Forum Barcelona, Spain

fota — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 10:00:44 +0000

Following on from the great success of the FOTA Barcelona Fans’ Forum in February 2012, FOTA once again in partnership with the RACC Club and Circuit de Catalunya organised a second FOTA Barcelona Fans’ Forum on Wednesday 26th February 2013. The event was held again at the RACC Club and attended by more 200 fans and streamed live online. Fans were able to ask questions to Giedo Van Der Garde (Caterham F1 Driver), local favourite Jaime Alguersuari (Pirelli F1 Test Driver), Graeme Lowdon (Marussia F1 President/Sporting Director) and James Allison (Lotus F1 Technical Director). Unfortunately Xevi Pujolar (Williams F1 Race Engineer) who was originally lined up to feature in this Forum was unable to attend due to health reasons. The moderator was Francesc Lattore of TV3. Fans unable to attend were able to send questions via the FOTA website. Once the session was complete, fans had the opportunity to get autographs and have their pictures taken with the panellists.

Fans’ Forum Austin, Texas

fota — Thu, 15 Nov 2012 19:25:53 +0000

In the lead up to the return of Formula One to the US, FOTA held a Fans’ Forum on Wednesday 14th November 2012 in Austin in partnership with Dell. Hosted by Speed TV’s Will Buxton, 500 enthusiastic fans attended and as well as being able to ask questions to the panellists, they also had a chance to drive a lap of the Circuit of the Americas on a simulator, and have their picture taken alongside a Caterham F1 Showcar. The event was streamed live online, and fans were able to ask questions via Twitter, using the #FOTAFORUM. Geoff Moore, Commercial Director of COTA welcomed fans to Austin, and thereafter the first panel session started, which included Sam Michael (McLaren), Robert Fernley (Sahara Force India), and Graeme Lowdon (Marussia). The drivers followed, and Hekki Kovalainen and Alexander Rossi of Caterham, were joined by Valtteri Bottas (Williams) and Esteban Gutierrez (Sauber). The Forum concluded with Speed TV’s David Hobbs, FIA Steward Garry Connelly, and 2 time US GP winner John Watson.

Each panel session of the Forum is available for viewing by clicking the links below.

Fans’ Forum Stuttgart, Germany

fota — Wed, 18 Jul 2012 23:20:16 +0000

Following on from the recent FOTA UK Fans’ Forum, Mercedes Niederlassung Dealership in Stuttgart was the venue on 18th July 2012, for the FOTA German Fans’ Forum. In advance of the Forum, 250 enthusiastic German speaking fans were provided the opportunity to look around the dealership at an array of cars, including a classic collection of Mercedes Benz cars. The Forum was hosted by RTL’s Heiko Wasser, and fans were able to ask questions to Mercedes’ AMG-F1 drivers Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg, as well as Sahara Force India’s Nico Hulkenberg, and Timo Glock of Marussia.

An English transcript of the Forum is available to download (see bottom of page).

Fans’ Forum Williams, UK

fota — Tue, 03 Jul 2012 11:13:43 +0000

On 3rd July 2012, over 250 Formula One Fans attended the UK FOTA Fans’ Forum which was hosted by Williams F1 at the Williams F1 Conference Centre. Upon arrival Fans were greeted by Pastor Maldonado who posed for pictures and signed autographs. Fans were then treated to the Williams’ Walk of Champions, Trophy Room and Grand Prix Collection, the latter of which is the biggest F1 display in the world. Sir At the commencement of the Forum itself, Sir Frank Williams welcomed fans to Williams, and he was followed by host for the evening, Lee McKenzie, doing a Q&A with Pastor Maldonado. This was followed by a panel session with current Team Principals Martin Whitmarsh, Robert Fernley and Ross Brawn, who were then followed by the ex-F1 “Legends” of Patrick Head, John Watson and Derek Warwick, who all regaled the crowd with stories from the past.

Fans’ Forum Manhattan

fota — Mon, 11 Jun 2012 11:14:59 +0000

On June 11th 2012, over two hundred fans attended the inaugural US FOTA Fans’ Forum at the Florence Gould Hall in Manhattan. Hosted by CNBC’s Brian Sullivan, the first session comprised a Q&A with Marussia President/Sporting Director Graeme Lowdon and Sahara Force India’s Deputy Team Principal Robert Fernley. The second session had an array of drivers including Sergio Perez of Sauber who had finished third in the previous day’s Canadian Grand Prix, Caterham’s US Test Driver Alexander Rossi, Sahara Force India’s Paul di Resta, and Charles Pic of Marussia. Niko Hulkenberg of Sahara Force India was also in attendance, and Marussia’s Test Driver Maria di Villota greeted fans at registration. At the end of the sessions, an informal autograph session was held where fans were able to mingle with drivers and have their pictures taken.

Fans’ Forum Barcelona

rapidz — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 09:44:59 +0000

FOTA in conjunction with the Circuit of Catalunya organised a FOTA Fans’ Forum at the RACC Club in Barcelona on 29^th February 2012.

Attended by over 200 fans and streamed live online, fans were firstly able to ask questions to Spanish drivers Pedro de la Rosa (HRT) and Marc Gene (Ferrari), as well as to Vitaly Petrov (Caterham) and Pastor Maldonado (Williams), and thereafter the session contained Team Principals and senior Team Executives including FOTA Vice Chairman and Lotus Team Principal Eric Boullier, McLaren Racing’s Managing Director Jonathan Neale, Mercedes Director of Motorsport Norbert Haug and HRT Team Principal Luis Perez Sala.

Fans’ Forum Milan

rapidz — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 13:19:54 +0000

A FOTA Fans’ Forum took place on Wednesday 7 September 2011 at Pirelli headquarters in Milan ahead of the Italian Grand prix. In the form of a one hour and half discussion, this was the first opportunity for the Italians fans to engage face to face with key Team members from the pit wall and to have their voices heard, by asking questions and offering their points of view on all the relevant talking points in the sport.

The panel for the event featured Stefano Domenicali, Team Principal Scuderia Ferrari; Nico Rosberg, Driver Mercedes GP Petronas; Jarno Trulli, Driver Team Lotus; Paul Hembery, Motorsport Director Pirelli; Giampaolo Dall’Ara, Head of Track Engineering, Sauber Motorsport; Nicolò Petrucci, Head of Aerodynamics, Scuderia Toro Rosso.

Fans’ Forum MTC Woking

rapidz — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 19:20:00 +0000

A FOTA Fans’ Forum took place on Thursday June 30th at the McLaren Technology Centre. In the form of a 2 hour discussion, this was a unique opportunity for the fans to engage face to face with key Team members from the pit wall and to have their voices heard, by asking questions and offering their points of view on all the relevant talking points in the sport.

The panel for the event featured Martin Whitmarsh, Chairman of FOTA and Team Principal, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes; Ross Brawn, Team Principal, Mercedes Grand Prix; Graeme Lowdon, Sporting Director and President, Marussia Virgin Racing; Bob Fernley, Deputy Team Principal, Force India; Paul Monaghan, Head of Car Engineering, Red Bull Racing; Paddy Lowe, Technical Director, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes; James Allison, Technical Director, Lotus Renault GP; Lewis Hamilton, Driver, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes and Kamui Kobayashi, Driver, Sauber F1 Team.

To read the full transcript of the event, click the link at the bottom of this page.

Fans’ Forum Montreal

rapidz — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 13:06:31 +0000

A FOTA Fans’ Forum took place in Montreal on Thursday June 9th at the Omni Mont Royal Hotel. In the form of a 90 minute discussion, this was a unique opportunity for the fans to engage face to face with key Team members from the pit wall and to have their voices heard, by asking questions and offering their points of view on all the relevant talking points in the sport.

The panel for the event featured Martin Whitmarsh, FOTA chairman and team principal of Vodafone McLaren Mercedes, Eric Boullier, FOTA vice chairman and team principal of Lotus Renault GP, Nico Hulkenberg, Force India F1 Team driver, Heikki Kovalainen, Team Lotus driver, Mike Gascoyne, Technical Director of Team Lotus, Adam Parr, chairman of AT&T Williams, Luca Colajanni, Head of Motorsport Press Office, Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro and John Allert, Group Brand Director, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes.

To read the full transcript of the event, click the link at the bottom of this page.

2010 Moments of the Year

rapidz — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 12:34:33 +0000

In partnership with LG and F1 Racing, FOTA has collected the best images of the key moments from every Grand Prix throughout the 2010 FIA Formula One™ World Championship.