Comments on: Friday afternoon burial: Phillips leaves Force India

By: Journeyer

Journeyer — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 08:38:51 +0000

@Stuart C Assuming they'll be around next year, of course...

By: Stuart C

Stuart C — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 07:16:23 +0000

@mr. c. I'm sure he's not Balkan at the thought of it!

By: mr. c.

mr. c. — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 19:37:37 +0000

I’d always believed he acted as Bernie’s eyes and ears on the factory floor, since Ecclestone wonga has been propping up that team for years.

ooh.

he’ll be heading east then?

By: Steven Roy

Steven Roy — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 19:25:30 +0000

I wonder if this means we will hear more of him on the radio at race weekends. Philips off the leash would be good value for the BBC.

By: Stuart C

Stuart C — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 16:58:14 +0000

He’s a very solid, entertaining fellow, good company and rather scurrilous. He shoots from the hip and would often have to follow a piece of information with, “That’s off the record, of course…” Trouble is, when you’re talking on air you can’t switch your mouth into reverse…
He was definitely the ‘go to’ guy for F1 gossip, so I can well imagine that Vijay became fed up with the constant procession of people entering his motorhome to speak to Ian rather than him. Quite a few newshounds are going to have to dig deeper and make new contacts if Ian isn’t going to be around. Very odd, though; I’d always believed he acted as Bernie’s eyes and ears on the factory floor, since Ecclestone wonga has been propping up that team for years.

By: Aaron James

Aaron James — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 16:43:47 +0000

What’s Ian like as a guy? I didn’t really take to him much when he was on the radio. In 2008 he repeatedly dumped on Ferrari (on air) while Force India were still running around with Italian engines.

Regardless of the merits of what he was saying (I didn’t think there were many…but opinions differ ), it’s not good form to smear an essential supplier with brown stuff like that. It’s not professional.

That kinda tainted my view of him actually. I wasn’t sad to hear he wouldn’t be on 5 live this year. While it is just as likely a lack of discretion cost him his job, I can’t help but think as well Force India are cutting costs at the same time.

That’s two fairly high profile departures in close succession now. I wonder whether the noises about Mallya owing Ferrari and McLaren/Mercedes (not to mention others) money will resurface?

By: mr. c.

mr. c. — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 16:40:17 +0000

ian was a fab resource for f1 gossip, both on 5live and on his various podcasts.

shame he isn’t following (/replacing) eddie on tv.