Former F1 steward Tim Mayer has responded to his brutal sacking with claims against FIA’s leadership under president Mohammed Ben Sulayem.
Mayer’s departure comes as the latest in a series of high-profile FIA exits already grappling the governing body, raising concerns about the organization’s future and its ability to manage critical positions effectively.
Tim Mayer, who has dedicated over 15 years to the FIA as a senior steward, revealed that he learned of his termination through a text message from an assistant to FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem.
Mayer expressed his disbelief at the manner of his dismissal and criticized the lack of professionalism in such a decision, especially for someone who has contributed significantly to the organization.
The 58-year old stated that his involvement in a right of review regarding a fine imposed on the Circuit of the Americas after a track invasion incident during the United States Grand Prix may have been perceived as a conflict of interest, leading to his abrupt firing.
In an interview, Tim Mayer described his dismissal as perplexing, noting that he had fulfilled his role as an organizer for over a decade without issues.
“For a federation that relies on volunteers to fire by text somebody who has made a significant contribution does not speak well of the management of the federation,” Mayer told BBC.
“The official reason that will be given is they felt there was a conflict of interest with the FIA as I had led the right of review in my role as organiser.
“But that is not why I was fired. Being an organiser is a role that I have fulfilled, benefiting the FIA, for over 12 years. This isn’t new.
“In spite of the matter being resolved quietly and amicably, he’s still upset and decided to fire me. After 15 years of volunteering my time as a steward, a decade teaching other stewards and hundreds of hours volunteering in other roles, I got a text from one of his assistants.
“There was no intention of trying to cause a problem with the FIA and I will continue as the sporting organiser of the three US Grands Prix. This was such a minor point that it is baffling that anyone would take such offence.”
Tim Mayer also elaborated on what he perceives as problematic governance within the FIA under Mohammed Ben Sulayem’s leadership. He accused the president of undermining the independence of stewards by indirectly influencing their decisions through staff members rather than communicating directly with them.
Mayer highlighted specific instances where he believes Ben Sulayem’s influence has led to controversial decisions, such as penalties imposed on drivers for using profanity during races. For example, Max Verstappen faced community service punishment for swearing at the Singapore Grand Prix, while Charles Leclerc received a fine at the Mexican Grand Prix for similar behavior.
“His [Mohammed Ben Sulayem’s] view that the drivers need to be penalised for swearing – that is his view and what has happened since reflects that,” he added.
“There are times when he has directly involved himself in making his views known not with the stewards directly, but via his staff. Part of the job of the stewards is to enforce the FIA’s policy on the rules.
“Technically, bad language is outlawed, so it’s not unfair. Whether it’s sensible we should be chasing drivers for rather mild swearing is another matter.
“Most drivers, English is their second, third or fourth language, and every go-kart kid in the world, it’s the first word[s] they are taught in English. There are other ways to handle that kind of thing unless your desire is to flex your muscles.”
Alongside Tim Mayer’s exit, Janette Tan’s departure adds to the turmoil within the FIA. Tan was poised to step into the role of F2 race director, taking over from Rui Marques, who was recently appointed as F1 race director following Niels Wittich’s departure.
With both Mayer and Tan gone, Marques is now tasked with overseeing not only Formula 1 but also Formula 2 during the upcoming Qatar Grand Prix weekend—a situation reminiscent of when Charlie Whiting managed both roles before his passing in 2019.
This sudden consolidation of responsibilities raises concerns about the pressures placed on Marques and the implications for race management across both series and Mayer voiced his concerns about the dwindling pool of qualified individuals within the FIA capable of fulfilling these critical roles.
“I know how hard both of those jobs are,” Tim Mayer added. “I like Rui a lot, but it will put him under incredible pressure.
“There aren’t a lot of ‘platinum-level’ FIA race directors, which is the FIA’s highest level certification. I’m one of them. It’s a lot of work and, if you are doing the job right, you wake up every day with an ulcer thinking of all the various things you need to be thinking about.
“They’re not doing themselves any favours. They are literally running out of people to do those jobs.”
The recent high-profile FIA exits have sparked widespread criticism over the governing body’s management decisions. The FIA is yet to respond to the claims.
