Herbie Blash
Herbie Blash | |
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Born | Michael Blash 30 September 1948 |
Occupation | Permanent Senior Advisor to the FIA Formula 1 Race Directors |
Michael "Herbie" Blash (born 30 September 1948) is the Permanent Senior Advisor to the
Blash started at
Career
When he was 17, Blash gained work at the RRC Walker Racing Team as a mechanic. He worked alongside Jo Siffert and Jo Bonnier who had experience in Formula One. In 1968, Blash became the race mechanic to Graham Hill at Lotus before working with Jochen Rindt a year later. On the day of the 1969 Spanish Grand Prix, Blash accidentally cut off parts of a newer, larger front wing from aluminium panels. When Chapman inspected the wings, he became enraged and demanded that the cars to be withdrawn from the race. In the end, Lotus ended up racing and all three cars retired.[6] After the death of Rindt during qualifying at the 1970 Italian Grand Prix, Blash took on responsibilities of management within Lotus until he walked out along with several employees. In 2010, 28 years after Chapman's death, Blash recalled "Mr. Chapman was the love God has for us." He demanded of his staff use to self-abandonment.[clarification needed] Blash: "I started on a Monday morning at Lotus. When I saw my apartment for the first time, it was Wednesday afternoon.."[6]
In 1973, Blash became the team manager for Brabham having worked on their Formula Two project. He worked alongside owner Bernie Ecclestone and designer Gordon Murray. His time at the team oversaw the world championship wins of Nelson Piquet in 1981 and 1983. Blash continued as team manager until 1988.[7]
Brabham was sold to Swiss financier Joachim Luhti and Blash left to join
On 5 July 2016 the FIA announced that he would be stepping down at the end of the 2016 season.
From the
References
- ^ a b "FIA PRESIDENT MOHAMMED BEN SULAYEM OPENS THE WAY FOR A NEW STEP FORWARD IN FORMULA 1 REFEREEING". FIA.COM. 2022-02-17.
- ^ a b "People: Herbie Blash". Grandprix.com.
- ^ FIA. 5 July 2016. Archived from the originalon 6 July 2016. Retrieved 6 July 2016.
- ^ a b Benson, Andrew (5 July 2016). "Formula 1: FIA veteran Herbie Blash to step down as deputy race director". BBC. Retrieved 6 July 2016.
- ^ Motor Sport, April 2021. Retrieved 8 October 2021 (subscription required)
- ^ a b "Formula 1: Lotus F1 history: The legacy of Colin Chapman". Auto Motor und Sport (German). 7 March 2010. Retrieved March 7, 2010.
- ^ "Biography of Herbie Blash". Biography Center.
- ^ Ex-F1 boss Blash in Yamaha’s WorldSBK corner? bikesportnews, 1 July 2017. Retrieved 8 October 2021
- ^ Herbie Blash gives helping hand at Pata Yamaha crash.net, 17 August 2017. Retrieved 8 October 2021
- ^ EXCLUSIVE: Herbie Blash (Former F1 deputy race director) Interview crash.net, 30 August 2017. Retrieved 8 October 2021
- ^ "Michael Masi replaced as race director amid FIA structural changes | Formula 1®". www.formula1.com. Retrieved 2022-02-17.