La Federation she is going through a particular period, in which she is constantly put in the spotlight, also because of the leadership style of the President Mohammed Ben Sulayem. It does not go unnoticed that even the director of communications Captain and the FIA Mobility Secretary General Bangsgaard have given the resignation.
Goodbye FIA: Skipper and Bangsgaard resign
The list of names of those who have left the offices of the Federation in recent months continues to grow. The latest to say goodbye and resign from the FIA were Luke Skipper and Jacob Bangsgaard. Skipper began working as the organization's director of communications and public affairs in 2022.
Bangsgaard was appointed FIA Secretary General for Automobile Mobility and Touring in 2023. Prior to his recent role, Bangsgaard was Director General of FIA Region I and Director of International Relations at the FIA Foundation in London. Both said they left the organisation to pursue other interests, but their goodbye does not go unnoticed given the particular moment that the FIA is experiencing.
Controversy and accusations against the British press
The Federation is located long been in the spotlight. In recent weeks, the media have focused on the figure of President Mohammed Ben Sulayem and in particular on the leadership style adopted by him. The controversy, which broke out on the eve of the Singapore GP when Sulayem called on pilots to adopt appropriate language, is continued following the sanction received from VerstappenThe Dutchman will in fact have to carry out “community service” for having used a word deemed unacceptable by the organization in a press conference.
The light, however, continues to point in a certain direction and does not seem to have any intention of fading. In an exclusive interview with Motorsport.com, the FIA President spoke about his relationship with the English media and how both Vettel and Verstappen were treated unfairly.”There is this sense of demonization, both have suffered at times, which is very unfair.,” Sulayem said referring to the two pilots.
He then continued: “I respect Max […] he too has been treated badly many times, but we are talking about me. If you look at the British media and what they did: they sentenced me. With all due respect to the British media or any other media, they have no vote. We are a democratic and independent Federation. They are the members who elected me, power is in the hands of the General Assembly, not in their".
The long list of those who said goodbye
The various resignations have led to the hypothesis of a plausible turnover, but given recent events there seems to be more behind the various goodbyes. In recent months, many have resigned. The first to start the dance last winter were the sports director Steve Nielsen and the technical director of the single-seaters Tim Gross.
Shortly after, the announcement was madeDeborah Mayer's exit, who has stepped down as head of the FIA Women in Motorsport Commission. Governance and Regulatory Director Pierre Ketterer and Commercial Legal Affairs Head Edward Floyd had resigned in February. Finally in May it was announced that the first CEO of the FIA, natalie robin, would leave the governing body. Skipper and Bangsgaard might they not be the last to say goodbye?
SOURCE: Motorsport.it
