F1 Explained: Who are the FIA and which ex-drivers make up Formula 1's governing body?

Photo: © IMAGO

F1 Explained

Who are the FIA and which ex-drivers make up Formula 1's governing body?

The FIA is the governing body of Formula 1

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Thursday 28 November 2024 15:30

If you have been watching a Formula 1 race throughout the 2024 season, you may have heard some input from the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile, also known as the FIA.

Throughout the thrilling championship battle between Max Verstappen and Lando Norris, the FIA were called into action on a number of occasions, most notably at the Mexican Grand Prix, when Verstappen was slammed with two 10-second penalties.

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The FIA were also the centre of attention at the Singapore Grand Prix in September, when new guidelines around driver swearing led to punishment for Verstappen, and a later protest from the Dutchman.

But who are the FIA? And who makes the key decisions within the organisation?

What is the FIA?

The FIA is the governing body of Formula 1, making key decisions and organising and planning each championship season.

In fact, the FIA is the governing body of world motorsport in general, overseeing multiple other series including but not limited to F2, Formula E, the World Endurance Championship (WEC) and the World Rally Championship (WRC).

In F1, the FIA have a number of key staff members who make decisions during race weekends, including stewards, scrutineers and a race director, as well as people who work closely with Formula One Management (FOM) to make off-track decisions with the bigger picture in mind.

The role of the FIA in decision-making processes in F1 has been evident recently, when the sport announced that an agreement had been reached for an 11th team to join the sport, gaining FIA approval too.

On top of this, the recent signing of the Diversity and Inclusion charter was signed off by the FIA, F1 and all 10 teams, highlighting the unified approach to decisions within the sport.

Who works for the FIA?

The president of the FIA is former racing driver Mohammed Ben Sulayem, who was appointed to his role back in 2021, replacing former Ferrari F1 team principal Jean Todt.

Ben Sulayem has overseen some huge changes within F1, including the confirmation of the 2026 regulation changes, the agreement for there to be an 11th F1 team, and the inaugural event at the glamorous Las Vegas Street Circuit.

Former Sauber technical director Jan Monchaux is the FIA single-seater technical director, while the single-seater director is Nikolas Tombazis.

In 2022, the governing body appointed its first-ever CEO, with Natalie Robyn taking the role. However, after just 18 months, Robyn left her role earlier this year, and has not been officially replaced.

FIA race directors are arguably the people that F1 fans will know the best, with former race director Michael Masi being replaced in the aftermath of the controversial 2021 Abu Dhabi GP.

Masi was replaced by Niels Wittich, who last month, left his role as race director, instead being replaced by previous F2 race director Rui Marques.

FIA stewards come and go throughout the season depending on the race, with former F1 driver Johnny Herbert arguably being the most well-known steward to fans of the sport.

Written by

Sam Cook - Digital Journalist

Sam Cook is a talented young sports journalist and social media professional who now specialises in Formula 1, having previously worked as a football journalist and a local news reporter for a variety of different brands.

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Max Verstappen Lewis Hamilton Lando Norris Singapore Grand Prix Mexican Grand Prix