People

Didier Perrin

Perrin grew up in Paris and was a high-flying engineer in his youth. After graduating from university he was recruited by the French aeronautical giant Dassault Aviation. This company designs and builds not only the Falcon range of private jets but also important military hardware such as the Mirage and Rafale warplanes. His first job at Dassault was as a research and development engineer in Paris but after three years he transferred to the highly-secretive military aircraft division as a drawing office engineer.

He might have stayed in military aviation but for the arrival at Ligier of a new technical director Frank Dernie.

At the time the team was struggling and, in a last attempt to revive fortunes, Guy Ligier gave Dernie free rein to recruit a whole series of young engineers. This included Perrin and Loic Bigois, who was later to become chief designer at Prost Grand Prix.

Perrin worked with English composite expert Paul Crooks to produce the Ligier-Renault JS37 for the 1992 season. This car was tested by Alain Prost - Guy Ligier hoped to lure him from retirement - but was raced by Thierry Boutsen and Erik Comas.

The car was quite successful but Guy Ligier wanted more and in mid-season he sold the team to Cyril de Rouvre. Dernie left to work at Benetton and veteran French designer Gerard Ducarouge was put in charge. Perrin was promoted to the job of Production Manager at Magny-Cours and he remained in that role through the disruptions of the years that followed as the team passed through a series of owners.

In early 1996 Tom Walkinshaw, who had been running the team, walked out with a large number of staff and went off to buy Arrows. Perrin stayed at Ligier and was made Operations Director. When Alain Prost took over the team Perrin's role was redefined and he was put in charge of all logistical operations for the Prost Grand Prix racing team. In 1999 he went back into engineering, being appointed head of the Prost drawing office. After Prost GP closed down Perrin disappeared from F1.