Former FIA steward warns that the organisation is “running out of people” to fill critical roles as multiple senior figures leave, including F2’s deputy race director

The FIA is grappling with a growing staffing crisis, according to a senior steward recently dismissed by Formula 1’s governing body. Tim Mayer, who served as a senior steward for 15 years, spoke out after his firing this week, claiming that the FIA is “running out of people to do those jobs.” His comments come amid a wave of high-profile departures, with four senior figures leaving the organisation in just over two weeks.

Mayer’s dismissal follows the exit of other notable FIA figures, including Janette Tan, the deputy Formula 2 race director, who has also left the organisation. Tan was set to step in as F2 race director for the final two rounds of the season in Qatar and Abu Dhabi. However, her departure means that Rui Marques will now oversee both F1 and F2 at these crucial events, despite the significant workload involved in managing both series simultaneously. Marques had only recently made his debut as F1 race director at the Las Vegas Grand Prix, following the sacking of Niels Wittich, the former F1 race director.

The loss of these key staff members has raised alarms within the motorsport community, particularly as it follows the earlier firings of Niels Wittich and FIA compliance officer Paolo Basarri. Mayer expressed disbelief at Tan’s departure, describing her as “the epitome of the type of person we want working for the FIA,” and a rising star in race directorship. He questioned the FIA’s handling of the situation, suggesting that they should have done more to retain talent like Tan, who was also the race director for the Singapore Grand Prix.

Mayer further criticised the decision to have Rui Marques cover both F1 and F2 at the upcoming events, pointing out that the workload is “incredibly high” for a single person to manage both roles. He recalled how Charlie Whiting, the former FIA F1 race director, had stopped combining the two roles more than a decade ago due to the strain. “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,” Mayer said. “They’re not doing themselves any favours. They are literally running out of people to do those jobs.”

The staffing exodus at the FIA has been staggering, with the departure of several senior figures over the past year, including sporting director Tim Nielsen, technical director Tim Goss, CEO Natalie Robyn, head of the commission for women Deborah Mayer, and director of communications Luke Skipper. These exits have led to growing concerns about the organisation’s ability to maintain its standards and support its growing number of motorsport categories.

In response to these concerns, the FIA issued a statement emphasising the support provided to race directors in their roles and claimed that the position had become “a lot less onerous” thanks to reforms. The governing body also highlighted its “high-performance programme,” designed to identify and nurture future race directors. The FIA insists that it has candidates in the pipeline for future roles across a range of categories.

Despite these assurances, the continued loss of key staff members has left many questioning the FIA’s stability and long-term strategy. The departure of experienced professionals like Mayer and Tan, combined with the mounting pressure on remaining staff, paints a picture of an organisation under strain as it heads into the final stretch of the F1 season.