The FIA has revised the structure of its F1 operations by appointing Steve Nielsen following a ‘transitional period’ prior to 2023.
The Reshuffle
The 58-year-old F1 veteran will oversee race control operations, which has been a major talking point after numerous controversies over the past couple of years, notably when then race director Michael Masi failed to correctly apply the rules while the safety car was deployed costing Lewis Hamilton the 2021 World Championship in Abu Dhabi.
He has also been given the responsibility for ‘future updates to the sporting regulations.’
Other changes include former FIA technical head Nikolas Tombazis, who has been given the role as single seater director and is replaced in his previous position by ex-McLaren technical director Tim Gross with former sporting director Francois Sicard being given the new role of strategy and operations director.
The governing body’s hope will be to regain the level of stability seen when the late and very popular Charlie Whiting was handling responsibilities prior to his death in 2019.
Move Backed by Teams
Nielsen’s appointment to oversee race operations has been met with much support from F1 teams.
McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown told BBC Sport: “Steve is immensely respected, very well-known and has a relationship with everyone in the pitlane.
“In roles like that, do they have the technical skill set? Yes. Do they have the credibility and relationships? Yes.
“So, he ticks the boxes where I don’t think a single team will be questioning the decision and rationale.”
Haas team principal Gunther Steiner also told BBC Sport: “It’s fantastic that F1 made him available because he has been in F1 so long, so he knows a lot of history of what happened in different situations.
“That is the biggest thing that some of the people who came in missed – the history of the last 20 years. It is very difficult to teach.
“The guys who are doing it are not bad people, but they just don’t have the experience. If you try to learn 30 years of history of rulemaking, that takes a few years, and we expect these guys to go in the seat and make the right decisions.
“They don’t know what they don’t know, while Steve knows a lot of stuff, what happened when. It’s better to have this not to create controversies.”
Nielsen has been sporting director at numerous teams including more than a decade at what is now branded as Alpine as well as working in a senior position for F1 since 2017.
Nielsen and Ben Sulayem Statements
The new sporting director and president of the governing body spoke on the new appointment and what lies ahead.
Nielsen said: “I have spent my professional life working for many teams and organisations in Formula One and cannot wait to engage with another new chapter with the FIA.
“I’d like to thank both the president and Stefano Domenicali for their trust in me, and I understand and appreciate the unique challenges that come from being a regulator.
“Having worked closely with a number of people in the Federation over the years, i’m looking forward to tackling those challenges that lie ahead with them – Formula One is in a great place at the moment, and it’s our responsibility to ensure the future health of the sport that is at the heart of everything we do”
Mohammed Ben Sulayem said: “We have dedicated a lot of time and effort to making significant, informed changes to our Formula One 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 organisation, as well as bringing in expertise and experience from the outside.
“I am confident that we are in the best position possible to move forward together with our partners at FOM and the Formula One teams.”