Eric Boullier - “Bringing F1 Closer To The Fans”

Eric, you recently took up the position of Vice Chairman for FOTA (Formula One Teams Association), can you explain what the position entails?

EB: The position of Vice Chairman involves working very closely with Martin Whitmarsh and to ease his duties within FOTA, and for what he is doing everyday.

What are the topics cropping up at the moment, what is on the agenda?

EB: Well, there are a lot of different things going on. We are obviously working on a different subject that is the core for FOTA which is the RRA. And we're also working on making a lot of forums for the fans which we did last year and was very successful, so we'll have a couple of them this year. We are working as well on some environmentally friendly surveys, and especially carbon emissions for our teams. We did a lot of work on an audit and with an external company to bring up all the latest information and have someone to work on this - it's available on the FOTA website. We have a lot of stuff like this actually going on and obviously we try to make the team work together and promote Formula 1.

How do you divide up your time for this role and your main role for Lotus Renault GP?

EB: Obviously my role with Lotus Renault GP is my priority and it's my first mission. FOTA is on top of this and, depending on the agenda, we always find some free time to do it.

You mentioned the topics that are on the agenda at the moment – what's your vision for FOTA? Along with Martin, what do you think in a year's time will have taken place?

EB: It's very early days for me. I'm very honoured to be doing this to be honest and to work for FOTA. I'm full of reconnaissance to the other teams who put me there, and I'm very proud to be next to Martin Whitmarsh as I have great admiration for him. It's a bit early to be setting up some goals. FOTA definitely has one mission –to do the best for the Formula 1 team – it's the Formula One Teams' Association – so if we can work in this way and achieve some reasonable targets then it will already be a victory for FOTA.

Formula 1 has expanded into new territories in recent years – we are going to see the first Grand Prix in India this year. How do you think F1 can attract a bigger fan base and stay ahead of the rest of the sport and entertainment marketplace, which is becoming increasingly competitive? EB: I think Formula 1 is a global brand today and obviously a global sport so it's going all over the world and obviously going to new places. If we activate the F1 honours with all the FOTA teams and the promoters – if we can all run together to make Formula 1 not more affordable but closer to the fans then that will help a lot.