FIA purge continues: Leading F1 steward Tim Mayer sacked
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In a move that will likely leave the F1 paddock bewildered once again, the FIA has parted ways with Tim Mayer, one of Formula 1's most respected officials.
Mayer, 58, had been a steadfast presence in the sport, serving as a steward for 15 years and rising to the esteemed role of chairman.
His exit comes just two weeks after the dismissal of F1 race director Niels Wittich and the governing body's compliance officer Paolo Basarri, amplifying questions about the stability within the FIA's leadership ranks.
Tim Mayer's reputation as an official was impeccable. As the son of McLaren co-founder Teddy Mayer, motorsport ran in his veins. Over the years, he became synonymous with fairness, integrity, and an unmatched understanding of the intricacies of Formula 1.
Despite his long-standing contributions, Mayer's last outing as chairman of the stewards was at the United States Grand Prix in Austin, Texas, in October. Since then, he has not been called upon to officiate.
Adding to the intrigue, Mayer was also involved with the Austin organizers, who faced scrutiny over a track invasion by fans post-race.
It has been suggested that tensions arose between Mayer and FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem regarding the handling of the incident, though no official explanation for Mayer's dismissal has been provided.
Mayer's departure isn't the only eviction ordered by the FIA this week, with Formula 2 race director Janette Tan also released from her duties.
Tan was ready to take over from F1's new race director Rui Marques this weekend in Qatar and was largely expected to take over the role full time in 2025.
Again, the FIA has provided no reasons for Tan's exit which has also thrown a curveball into the F1 weekend schedule at Losail, particularly for Marques.
With Tan now unavailable, Marques will shoulder the additional responsibility of overseeing the Formula 2 race in Qatar, adding to the already demanding sprint weekend schedule.
While the additional F2 duties add to Marques' workload, the demands of the race director role have been alleviated somewhat in recent years due to improved support structures within Race Control.
Marques will have a team of four on-site staff to assist him, as well as support from technical and IT departments for tasks such as track limit detection and stewarding matters.
Additionally, the FIA has significantly enhanced its Remote Operations Centre, where a team of four to six individuals provide live support during F1 race weekends.
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