Ever since Mohammed Ben Sulayem took over the FIA as president in December 2021, the governing body has been subject to considerable scrutiny. Much of it tends to be directed solely at the president.
The FIA have made some questionable changes in the recent past, with driver conduct arguably being at the forefront of them all. The concept of fining drivers for swearing during press conferences or other public platforms has not been received well.
George Russell, a director for the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association, has spoken publicly regarding such changes and speaks for all drivers when he says it is quite a negative change. With Carlos Sainz Jr. having now taken over Sebastian Vettel’s vacant director role, he also figures to become more vocal this season about the FIA’s rulings.
Now the vice president of the FIA, Robert Reid, has abruptly resigned over concerns pertaining to the decision-making process. His belief is that the current state of the FIA goes against what he stands for.
Another key FIA departure will only accelerate change at the top
Reid is not the first key member of the FIA to depart from his role as of late, and he likely will not be the last, either. Sulayem’s reign as president is unpopular among many of his former colleagues.
The instability within the FIA is only becoming clearer to everyone watching from afar. Facing opposition of this level is a path to failure for Sulayem, and with the Emirati up for re-election at the end of 2025, the odds of him continuing in his role continue to decline.
Perhaps the next candidate will choose to focus on the drivers rather than make baseless changes that only draw more criticism. But with Susie Wolff having denied having an interest in taking over, the field of candidates is still quite slim. If things continue in this direction, the incumbent might just keep his position for the next few years.