OFF GRID
FIA chief Mohammed Ben Sulayem continues sacking spree with shock dismissal of F1 lead steward Tim Mayer
It comes after former F1 race director Niels Wittich was recently axed with just three races to go
MOHAMMED BEN SULAYEM has sacked F1’s leading steward Tim Mayer in another bombshell dismissal.
The FIA president’s move comes just three-weeks after former F1 race director Niels Wittich's shock axing with just three races to go.
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Mayer is the son of McLaren co-founder Teddy Mayer and one of the most respected figures in the sport.
He has not been called up to officiate as chairman of the stewards since his last outing at Mexico City Grand Prix last month.
The 58-year-old also worked for the organisers of the US Grand Prix in Austin, who were summoned after fans invaded the track after the race.
Comments made by the US promoters reportedly upset Emirati executive Ben Sulayem.
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Mayer and Wittich are the latest in a series of senior people to leave the FIA in the past year, with Luke Skipper, former director of communications, leaving in October 2024.
This coincided with the departure of Jacob Bangsgaard, the former secretary general of mobility.
Steve Nielsen also left his role as sporting director at the FIA in December 2023, just before single-seater technical director Tim Goss followed suit.
Rui Marques, the F2 and F3 race director, was named as the Wittich’s replacement from last weekend’s Las Vegas Grand Prix.
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Earlier this month furious drivers released an open letter demanding they are treated like ‘adults’ by the FIA when it comes to swearing, jewellery and clothing.
Since then Mercedes driver George Russell recently said the drivers are "a bit fed up" with the leadership of the sport's governing body.
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He made it clear he was referring specifically to the leadership of Ben Sulayem.
Russell, a director of the Grand Prix Drivers' Association (GPDA), also said that the drivers "weren't aware" of the decision to remove Wittich.
The sport’s governing body suggested in a statement that the German had chosen to leave his post to “pursue new opportunities.”
But Wittich hit back, claiming he did “not resign” just hours after the FIA had announced his departure from the role.
Four-time world champion Max Verstappen, who was crowned champion last weekend in Las Vegas, said: “It’s a bit weird with three races to go to do that and to have to now deal with a different race director.”
Leclerc added: “That came out a bit of nowhere. I think we were all surprised.
“It could have probably been managed in a better way."
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