Formula One’s Martin Whitmarsh Bolsters Sir Ben Ainslie AC 2017 Bid

Sir Ben Ainslie (BAR) has now added another F1 executive to his bid to bring the Cup to Britain. Martin Whitmarsh, the former McLaren team principal and chief executive of The McLaren Group, will be announced today as the new CEO of Ben Ainslie Racing.

Since meeting and partnering with Red Bull Advanced Technologies designer (RBAT) Adrian Newey, Ainslie has implemented F1s Newey’s skills to sign on yet another important piece to Sir Ben’s quest to bring the America’s Cup back to Britain, since losing the original race in 1851. Whitmarsh, who will take a seat on the board and report to Ainslie, BAR’s team principal.

Whitmarsh admitted the prospect of working with Formula One’s pre-eminent designer again (RBAT), after the pair spent nine years together at McLaren between 1997 and 2006, was a key factor behind his decision to join BAR, although he claimed he needed little persuading once he had sat down with Ainslie.

“Ben came to see me at my house a couple of weeks ago and it was an easy sell,” he said. “There were no negotiations. Frankly, within minutes of talking to Ben I knew I wanted to do it. I rang him the next morning to accept.”

 

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