FIA launches ‘new and robust governance process’

FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem has created a number of working groups and outlined plans to hire a CEO to help improve the effectiveness of motorsport’s governing body.

Chairing his first World Motor Sport Council meetings digitally on Thursday, Ben Sulayem (pictured above) moved to implement his vision for the FIA, including the way it performs financially. With “governance topics such as transparency and collaboration” at the heart of the meetings, Ben Sulayem added four new members to the FIA Senate -- including Carlos Slim Domit -- and created working groups to review governance, finance and the appointment of a CEO.

The FIA stated there will be “a fully independent financial audit” carried out, as part of the new president’s plans for the future.

“A new era has begun for the FIA, through the creation of a governance framework founded on openness and global diversity,” Ben Sulayem said. “This is a key pillar of our strategy and I warmly thank the World Councils’ Members, who have approved the changes.

“Responsibility and authority of World Councils, which emanate from our Members, will be increased. A more effective oversight model will be designed, stakeholders’ priorities will be aligned, and a responsibly profitable FIA operation will be ensured.

“To reach these objectives, the Federation’s governing bodies and administration will work closely together to make the FIA the global voice of motorsport and mobility.”

The working groups will run alongside existing projects already announced by Ben Sulayem, including the ongoing analysis into the end of the previous Formula 1 season and the structure of race control. Findings from that work are expected later this month, with changes to be approved by the next WMSC meeting in Bahrain in mid-March.