Robert Reid: FIA deputy president for sport resigns after ‘standards breakdown’ and falling out with Mohammed Ben Sulayem

Robert Reid: FIA deputy president for sport resigns after ‘standards breakdown’ and falling out with Mohammed Ben Sulayem | F1 News

April 10, 2025:

The FIA’s president for sport Robert Reid has resigned, citing a “standards breakdown” in Formula 1’s governing body.

It is the latest senior resignation at the FIA in the last 18 months as Reid appears to have fallen out with president Mohammed Ben Sulayem.

Reid has been deputy president since Ben Sulayem, who is attending his first F1 race this weekend at the Bahrain Grand Prix, was elected at the end of 2021.

“When I took on this role, it was to serve the FIA’s members; not to serve power,” Reid said in a statement seen by Sky Sports News.

“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.”

Last year, several senior figures parted ways with the FIA, including its sporting director, F1 technical director, digital director, head of commercial legal affairs, governance and regulatory director, race director, the head of the women in motorsport commission, secretary general of mobility and director of communications.

Most notable were race director Niels Wittich and leading steward Tim Mayer effectively being sacked last November.

Sky Sports News has approached the FIA for comment.

Former CEO reveals challenges at FIA

Former FIA chief executive Natalie Robyn has spoken out on F1’s governing body for the first time after leaving her role in May 2024.

“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.”

What is happening at the FIA?

Ben Sulayem has been surrounded by controversy over the last 12 months after an FIA whistle-blower accused him of interfering with the outcome of the 2023 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

The 63-year-old was also accused of telling FIA officials to not certify the circuit for the 2023 Las Vegas Grand Prix. Both claims were dismissed.

He was criticised by Lewis Hamilton for using stereotypical language when he made a comparison to rappers in an interview, where he spoke about wanting to see less foul language on the team radio. The FIA declined to comment at the time.

In December, the FIA voted through controversial rule changes that would effectively limit the ways in which its leadership can be held accountable.

The changes meant the FIA ethics committee will only carry out an initial assessment to determine whether an in-depth investigation is necessary. FIA president Ben Sulayem and the president of the senate, Carmelo Sanz De Barros, will have the power to decide whether to take further action on any ethics complaints.

The FIA is also being sued by F1 Academy director Susie Wolff after a conflict of interest inquiry into her and husband Toto Wolff in December 2023, which was abandoned after two days.

Motorsport UK chairman David Richards is also in dispute with Ben Sulayem, who is up for re-election and currently unopposed.

Sky Sports F1’s Bahrain GP schedule

Friday April 11

8.50am: F3 Practice
10am: F2 Practice
12pm: Bahrain GP Practice One (session starts at 12.30pm)*
1.55pm: F3 Qualifying
2.40pm: F2 Qualifying
3.35pm: Bahrain GP Practice Two (session starts at 4pm)
5.15pm: The F1 Show

Saturday April 12

11.10am: F3 Sprint Race
1.15pm: Bahrain GP Practice Three (session starts at 1.30pm)
3.10pm: F2 Sprint
4.10pm: Bahrain GP Qualifying build-up
5pm: BAHRAIN GP QUALIFYING
7pm: Ted’s Qualifying Notebook

Sunday April 13

10.50am: F3 Feature Race
12.20pm: F2 Feature Race
2.30pm: Bahrain GP build-up: Grand Prix Sunday
4pm: THE BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX
6pm: Bahrain GP reaction: Chequered Flag
7pm: Ted’s Notebook

*also live on Sky Sports Main Event

Formula 1 continues its triple-header in Sakhir at the Bahrain Grand Prix this weekend, live on Sky Sports F1. Stream Sky Sports with NOW – no contract, cancel anytime

Source link

tags

Abkhazia Afghanistan Africa Albania Algeria Andorra Angola Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bhutan Bolivia Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Brazil Brunei Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cape Verde Central African Republic Chad Chile China Colombia Comoros Costa Rica Croatia Cuba Curacao Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic East Timor Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Eswatini Ethiopia Fiji Finland France French Polynesia Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Greece Grenada Guam Guatemala Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana Haiti Honduras Hong Kong Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iran Iraq Ireland Israel Italy Jamaica Japan Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Kosovo Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Laos Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macau Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Mauritania Mauritius Mexico Micronesia Moldova Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Morocco Mozambique Myanmar Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria North Korea North Macedonia Northern Cyprus Norway Oman Pakistan Palau Palestine Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Poland Portugal Puerto Rico Qatar Republic of the Congo Romania Russia Rwanda Saint Lucia Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Samoa San Marino Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Korea South Sudan Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Sweden Switzerland Syria Taiwan Tajikistan Tanzania Thailand Togo Tonga Transnistria Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Tuvalu Uganda UK Ukraine United Arab Emirates Uruguay USA Uzbekistan Vanuatu Vatican City Venezuela Vietnam Western Sahara Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe