Brawn rules out FOTA chairmanship

FOTA's system is supposed to see a new chairman from its members elected each year, with McLaren boss Martin Whitmarsh currently in charge after taking over from Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo in December.

AUTOSPORT understands, however, that the candidates for chairman can only be from those teams that have previously won a championship title.

That means out of the current teams on the grid, potential successors to Whitmarsh are Mercedes GP's Brawn, Renault's Eric Boullier, or Williams' Adam Parr or Frank Williams.

With the election not due to take place until December, however, Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner could also put himself forward if his outfit is successful in capturing a title.

Brawn's vast experience and lengthy role as head of FOTA's technical group had seen him emerge as a strong candidate for the chairman's position - but he has made it clear he is not interested in the role.

"I have enjoyed my two years as head of the technical group and I think that is enough for anyone," he said when asked by AUTOSPORT if he was interested in the FOTA chairman position.

"All of us want to put something back into the business that we have all done so well out of, so it is not an ambition of mine for sure.

"Like all the team principals, we have a day job to do as well as the other stuff, but we know how important it is to the business to have an organisation like FOTA and I take my hat to first Luca di Montezemolo and now Martin Whitmarsh for giving a direction to FOTA that it needs from its chairman.

"I think theoretically there is a possibility that Martin could continue, which I would be very happy with, but we have to have discussions and see - but it [the chairmanship] is not something that I aspire to."

Parr, who is Williams' CEO, has already publicly put himself forward as a candidate - even though the position will not be voted on for several months.