The Federation has seen a profound internal restructuring already in the last season, the year of transition towards the new presidency of Mohammed Ben Sulayem. A long and complex process that started from a very specific episode: Abu Dhabi 2021, and which led to a new training in view of the 2023 season. A necessary change to try to keep up with the category and to remove a little rust from everything work regulate. Here's how the new structure will be organized and what the news in the FIA staff just made official.
Nikolas Tombazis to the Single Seater Management
The first, big change concerns Nicholas Tombazis, an engineer who worked for four teams (Benetton, Ferrari, McLaren, Manor) before taking on the role of FIA Technical Director, which he has held since 2018. From 2023 Tombazis will move on to a more transversal role, that of Single-seat director. Equally important figures will refer to him.
The first figure is that of Technical Director, the former location of Tombazis, which will be replaced by Tim Goss, his deputy in 2021. The second is that of Sports Director, responsible for overseeing all sporting matters. Including ongoing development of the Competition Control and Remote Operations Centre, as well as future updates to the Sporting Regulations. This role will be entrusted to Steve Nielsen. The third figure in this pyramidal structure is that of the Financial director. Role to be filled by the one who has led the FIA's financial regulations team since its inception, Frederick Lodi. Finally, the former sports director Francois Sicard will take up a new position within the FIA as Director of Strategy and Operations. Sicard will be responsible for the long-term strategic planning and also for the main track activities and logistics.
The words of President Ben Sulayem
FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem commented with a good dose of confidence and pride this new structure, which he hopes will bring competence e stability:
"We have dedicated a lot of time and effort to making meaningful and conscious changes to our Formula 1 team to create the right structure with the right people to oversee the future regulation of the sport. By developing and empowering people within our organization, as well as bringing in expertise and experience from outside, I am confident we are in the best possible position to move forward together with our partners at FOM and the Formula 1 teams.”
