NOVEMBER 30, 1998

Piccinini to be the new Bernie?

NEWSPAPER reports in Europe have suggested in recent days that Bernie Ecclestone - who is now 68 years old - is planning to leave Italian banker Marco Piccinini in charge of Formula One Holdings when - and if - the business is floated. The 46-year-old has been a pal of Ecclestone since the early 1980s when he, Bernie and Max Mosley negotiated the Concorde Agreement. At the time Piccinini was Sporting Director of Ferrari, a job he held between 1978 and 1988.

Piccinini has all the right qualifications for the job. He built his own Formula 3 car in 1974 before becoming Enzo Ferrari's eyes and ears in Grand Prix racing in 1978. After Ferrari's death in 1988 he went back to banking, although he remains a director of Ferrari. He went on to become president of the Italian national sporting authority and a member of the FIAÊWorldÊMotorÊSport Council.

When Ecclestone first announced that he was planning to float Formula One Holdings he named Piccinini as deputy chief executive. He is currently a non-executive director of FOH.