Tremors are being felt throughout the Formula One paddock as the sport’s governing body, the FIA, continues to make sweeping changes to its senior leadership without providing clear explanations to teams or drivers. The latest casualties are veteran F1 steward Tim Mayer and deputy Formula 2 race director Janette Tan, both relieved of their duties just days before the Qatar Grand Prix weekend.
The moves have left the F1 grid perplexed and concerned, with drivers voicing frustration over the lack of transparency coming from the FIA. Mercedes star and GPDA director George Russell didn’t mince words when asked about the situation.
“Just when we’ve asked for transparency and consistency, we’re getting rid of two highly important people in the governing body. We still don’t have any reasoning for Niels’ [Wittich] removal. The first I heard about the new race director doing Formula 2 this weekend was through the media. We’d love to get a little bit of clarity and understanding of what’s going on and who’s getting fired next.”
George Russell, Mercedes F1 driver
Russell’s comments refer to the recent ousting of F1 race director Niels Wittich, who was abruptly replaced by Rui Marques ahead of last month’s Las Vegas Grand Prix. Now, with Mayer and Tan also shown the door, there are growing fears that the constant churn at the top of F1’s officiating ranks could have a destabilizing effect on the sport.
“They are literally running out of people”
According to inside sources, Marques will now have to juggle race director duties for both F1 and F2 in Qatar, a daunting task for even the most experienced officials. Tim Mayer, himself one of the FIA’s highest-certified “platinum-level” race directors, expressed doubts about the wisdom of spreading Marques so thin.
“I know how hard both of those jobs are. I like Rui a lot, but it will put him under incredible pressure. They’re not doing themselves any favours. They are literally running out of people to do those jobs.”
Tim Mayer, former FIA steward
Drivers demand answers as instability looms
With no clear explanations forthcoming from the FIA, drivers are left to speculate about the reasons behind the sackings and worry about the potential fallout. Two-time F1 champion Max Verstappen was blunt in his assessment:
“There’s too much politics going on at the FIA right now. They need to sort their sh** out and focus on running the sport properly. All these changes are just creating confusion and inconsistency.”
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing driver
Other drivers echoed Verstappen’s sentiments, with many expressing a desire for greater stability and professionalism in F1’s governance. As the Qatar GP weekend gets underway, the spotlight is as much on the FIA’s off-track turmoil as it is on the on-track action.
FIA silent as pressure mounts
So far, the FIA has not responded to requests for comment on the reasons behind Mayer and Tan’s departures or the broader concerns raised by drivers. The silence has only fueled speculation and unease in the paddock.
As the Qatar GP unfolds against this backdrop of uncertainty, many in the F1 world will be watching to see if the FIA can steady the ship and provide the transparent, consistent leadership the sport desperately needs. For now, though, the governing body appears to be in a state of chaos, leaving drivers, teams, and fans alike wondering what bombshell might drop next.
