General

The FIA has “serious ongoing structural challenges” and does not follow “professional processes” according to its former chief executive Natalie Robyn.

It was announced on Thursday ahead of this weekend’s Formula 1 Bahrain Grand Prix that FIA deputy president for sport Robert Reid had resigned from the motor racing governing body with immediate effect.

Along with Motorsport UK chairman David Richards, Reid was one of two members barred from the latest gathering of the FIA World Motor Sport Council over their refusal to sign a non-disclosure agreement imposed by president Mohammed Ben Sulayem.

Richards has continued his war of words with Ben Sulayem and the FIA in general, and on Wednesday claimed there had been a “disregard for the very real concerns that have been expressed, not just by myself, but a growing number of people, that the governance and constitutional organisation of the FIA is becoming ever more opaque and concentrating power in the hands of the president alone”.

Robyn was the FIA’s first-ever chief executive but quit her post in May 2024 after just 18 months, following the resignations of single-seater technical director Tim Goss, sporting director Steve Nielsen, and Deborah Mayer, the president of the FIA’s Women in Motorsport Commission.

While at the time of her exit she stopped short of explaining her reasoning, she has now spoken out about what led to her departure.

“During my tenure as CEO, I worked under challenging circumstances to strengthen the federation’s governance framework and upgrade its operational transparency,” she told BBC Sport.

“The resignation of the deputy president of sport clearly indicates there are serious ongoing structural challenges.

“When professional processes are not adhered to and stakeholders are excluded from decision-making, it undermines the foundation of a strong organisation.

“I am saddened to see these developments, as they threaten both the credibility and the long-term effectiveness of an important institution.

“I worked closely with Robert during my time at the FIA and I have a great deal of respect for him and of course his commitment to the future of motorsport.”

With the resignation of the FIA deputy president Robert Reid, president Mohammed Ben Suleyam has lost his most senior management figure while criticism against his course of action has swelled to significant levels.

Reid announced on Thursday that he was leaving with immediate effect over what he felt was a “breakdown of governance standards” and “critical decisions being made without due process”.

His comments echo criticism fielded by Motorsport UK chairman David Richards, who wrote in an open letter that “the governance and constitutional organisation of the FIA is becoming ever more opaque and concentrating power in the hands of the president alone”.

Both Reid and Richards were recently barred from attending a World Motor Sport Council meeting over their refusal to sign a non-disclosure agreement as part of a stricter protocol imposed by the president. Richards characterised the move as a “gagging order”.

Criticism of Ben Sulayem’s management is not new. Chief executive Natalie Robyn left her role last year after just 18 months over similar governance concerns, following the resignations of single-seater technical director Tim Goss, sporting director Steve Nielsen, and Deborah Mayer, the president of the FIA’s Women in Motorsport Commission.

While Ben Sulayem has not shied away from controversies on a variety of matters, the focal point of opposition against his reign stems from his apparent move towards a blueprint of what critics have characterised as a more authoritarian leadership style.

Alexander Wurz, Robert Reid, Deputy President for Sport of the FIA

Photo by: DPPI

An army of executives, officials and stewards have since been removed – critics may prefer the word ‘purged’ – from their position following intervention by the president, including long-time steward Tim Mayer, while Ben Sulayem also clamped down on other matters including driver swearing and the wearing of jewellery by drivers, and is accused of stalling the governance part of the new Concorde Agreement.

Criticism grew after the FIA’s General Assembly in Rwanda last year, where amended statutes were voted through that effectively limited to which extent FIA leadership can be held accountable, handing Ben Sulayem and the FIA senate president Carmelo Sanz De Barros the power to decide whether to take further action on any ethics complaints, including any about themselves.

Ben Sulayem had been subject of a probe into allegedly intervening to overturn a penalty against Fernando Alonso at the 2023 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix and the certification of F1’s new Las Vegas Grand Prix circuit. After an investigation by the FIA ethics committee, the Emirati was cleared of any wrongdoing.

The compliance officer in charge of the investigation, Paolo Bassari, was later sacked after disagreements with the president, with reports suggesting the Italian paid the price for pushing back against Ben Sulayem’s requests.

Reid said the FIA’s decision to take the promotion of the World Rallycross Championship in-house “without Senate or World Council approval”, circumventing the body’s usual governance structure, was the final straw that led to his resignation.

It is that apparent concentration of power, that contradicts the FIA president’s initial election promise of vowing to be hands-off and transparent, that is now causing the initial ripples against his management style to swell into a tidal wave.

What’s next?

David Richards and Mohammed Ben Sulayem, President, FIA

Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images

The resignation of deputy president Reid – the man who ran alongside Ben Sulayem’s presidential ticket in 2021 – is by far the most high-profile departure yet, perhaps best compared to a US vice president resigning over the sitting president’s actions.

The timing is no great coincidence. Ben Sulayem is up for re-election at the end of the year, with no clear opposition candidate identified at this stage. At 72 Richards himself is too old to run, past the FIA-imposed limit of 70, with 59-year-old Reid’s future plans unclear.

But the fact that both Richards and Reid have spoken out against Ben Sulayem in public to such a degree suggests knives are being sharpened and moves are being made to stand against Ben Sulayem as he seeks a second term.

Whoever ends up running against Ben Sulayem will have a huge challenge on their hands, though. The new president will be voted in by the FIA General Assembly, the same organisation that voted 75% in favour of the change in accountability statutes that have caused such an outrage.

The General Assembly consists of all member clubs and national sporting authorities representing the 245 member organisations hailing from 149 countries, with all members having the same voting power. It encourages the presidency to make sure to keep the smaller nations and clubs on board – similarly to football behemoth FIFA – so it will take some doing for the European-based opposition against Ben Sulayem to win the numbers game.

Time will tell if the swelling wave of protest will grow into the tsunami required to topple him. It appears the waters are being tested.

FIA deputy president for sport Robert Reid has announced he has resigned from the motor racing governing body with immediate effect, citing a “breakdown of governance standards”.

Reid, who held the role of second in command at the FIA since being elected in 2021, announced he has informed president Mohammed Ben Sulayem on Thursday morning he will relinquish his position.

Reid said he has been alarmed by what he called “critical decisions being made without due process” in the wake of Ben Sulayem shaking up how the organisation is run.

“When I took on this role, it was to serve the FIA’s members; not to serve power,” Reid said in a statement. “Over time, I have witnessed a steady erosion of the principles we promised to uphold. Decisions are being made behind closed doors, bypassing the very structures and people the FIA exists to represent.

“My resignation is not about personalities; it is about principles. Motorsport deserves leadership that is accountable, transparent, and member-driven. I can no longer, in good faith, remain part of a system that does not reflect those values.”

Mohammed Ben Sulayem, President, FIA, on the grid

Photo by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images

The statement also said Reid “expressed growing alarm over critical decisions being made without due process or proper consultation, both internally and with FIA members and the FIA governance bodies; Senate and World Motor Sport Council.”

Along with Motorsport UK chairman David Richards, Reid was one of two members barred from the latest gathering of the FIA World Motor Sport Council over his refusal to sign a non-disclosure agreement imposed by Ben Sulayem.

Richards has also been critical of the FIA president’s leadership decisions, citing there is a “a shift of the moral compass” of the president.

Former WRC co-driver Reid called on FIA member clubs and stakeholders to “demand greater accountability from the federation’s leadership”.

The FIA has been contacted for comment.

FIA deputy president for sport Robert Reid has announced he has resigned from the motor racing governing body with immediate effect, citing a “breakdown of governance standards”.

Reid, who held the role of second in command at the FIA since being elected in 2021, announced he has informed president Mohammed Ben Sulayem on Thursday morning he will relinquish his position.

Reid said he has been alarmed by what he called “critical decisions being made without due process” in the wake of Ben Sulayem shaking up how the organisation is run.

“When I took on this role, it was to serve the FIA’s members; not to serve power,” Reid said in a statement. “Over time, I have witnessed a steady erosion of the principles we promised to uphold. Decisions are being made behind closed doors, bypassing the very structures and people the FIA exists to represent.

“My resignation is not about personalities; it is about principles. Motorsport deserves leadership that is accountable, transparent, and member-driven. I can no longer, in good faith, remain part of a system that does not reflect those values.”

Alexander Wurz, Robert Reid, Deputy President for Sport of the FIA

Photo by: DPPI

The statement also said Reid “expressed growing alarm over critical decisions being made without due process or proper consultation, both internally and with FIA members and the FIA governance bodies; Senate and World Motor Sport Council.”

Along with Motorsport UK chairman David Richards, Reid was one of two members barred from the latest gathering of the FIA World Motor Sport Council over his refusal to sign a non-disclosure agreement imposed by Ben Sulayem.

Richards has also been critical of the FIA president’s leadership decisions, citing there is a “a shift of the moral compass” of the president.

Former WRC co-driver Reid called on FIA member clubs and stakeholders to “demand greater accountability from the federation’s leadership”.

The FIA has been contacted for comment.