Formula 1 is currently in the midst of an upheaval. With just two races remaining before the 2024 season ends, FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem is undertaking a massive restructuring process after letting go of several industry veterans. Ahead of the penultimate race in Qatar, the sport’s governing body let go of two more high-profile figures, including steward Tim Mayer and Janette Tan, who was expected to serve as Formula Two race director.

While plenty of fans celebrated Formula 1’s ruthless approach, Australian-American auto racing commentator Leigh Diffey had different views. The 53-year-old came in defense of Tim Mayer after his sacking, criticizing the FIA for the way they handled the situation.

Veteran steward Tim Mayer forced out of Formula 1

Tim Mayer was quite a prominent figure in Formula 1. He has served as a steward for the last 15 years and was part of a rotational set of volunteers who helped officiate races. Most recently, the son of McLaren founder Teddy Mayer was one of the four stewards at the Mexico Grand Prix while also being involved in other motorsports disciplines, such as the World Endurance Championship and World RallyCross.

Despite his years of dedicated service, the 58-year-old claims that he was informed about losing his job via text message from an assistant of FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem. How the situation was handled didn’t go down well with Leigh Diffey, who took to social media and said, “I’ve known Tim for over 20 years … from CART to ALMS to his role with the FIA. Not only does he have F1 in his DNA, he has been an incredible resource and friend to the sport. This is pretty poor I have to say.”

Mayer’s departure isn’t an exception but the norm in terms of FIA’s recent strategy to reshuffle its management. Niels Wittich was recently let go as race director when only three races were remaining for the season to end. The move surprised drivers and fans, even though the governing body claimed that Wittich stepped down “in order to pursue new opportunities” while the 52-year-old went on to say that he was sacked while speaking to multiple media outlets.

In the last year, the Formula 1 world has said goodbye to plenty of senior figures within the management, such as sporting director Steve Nielsen, head of commission for women Deborah Mayer, CEO Natalie Robyn, and single-seater technical chief Tim Goss. Ben Sulayem’s tenure as FIA president has been marred by controversy ever since he took over in 2021. The 63-year-old Emirati was accused of sporting interference, for which he was subsequently cleared by the FIA’s Ethics Committee while hire-and-fire policies are irking some figures within the F1 community as well.

Tim Mayer takes a dig at FIA president Ben Sulayem

It’s fair to say that Tim Mayer’s sacking left a bitter taste in the stewards’ mouth. The 58-year-old motorsports organizer and official has dedicated years of his life to Formula 1, but was on the receiving end of the FIA’s ruthless approach, at a time when four senior figures have lost their jobs in two weeks. Criticizing the governing body’s approach, Mayer said, “They are literally running out of people to do those jobs” as Rui Marques is forced to take over as race director at both the F1 and F2 events in Qatar.

Sharing his perspective after being sacked, Tim Mayer candidly said, “For a federation that relies on volunteers to fire by text somebody who has made a significant contribution does not speak well of the management of the federation.” The former Formula 1 steward claimed that Ben Sulayem “took offense” by the contents of an appeal that was filed by Circuit of The Americas after a track invasion took place at the end of the US Grand Prix. Mayer went on to say that his involvement in the appeal led to his removal as steward at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix before eventually being fired.

Visibly upset at FIA’s decision, Mayer said, “In spite of the matter being resolved quietly and amicably, he’s (Ben Sulayem) still upset and decided to fire me.” As a senior steward in Formula 1, the 58-year-old has played an important role in training others and volunteering his time in other capacities. Given the circumstances, it’s understandable that Tim Mayer will feel hard done by, especially after his immense contributions to the sport and its governing body over the years.

The decision to sack Mayer took George Russell also by surprise. The Mercedes AMG Racing driver serves as a director of the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association (GPDA) and went on to say, “I don’t think anybody was informed about Tim leaving.” Urging greater transparency from Formula 1’s governing body, the 26-year-old said, “We’d love to get a little bit of clarity and understanding of what’s going on and who’s getting fired next.”

What are your thoughts about the FIA parting ways with senior management professionals? Let us know in the comments!