FIA executive Reid resigns over 'standards breakdown'

Robert Reid has been deputy president for sport at the FIA since 2021

Robert Reid, deputy president for sport at the FIA, has resigned over what he describes as "a fundamental breakdown in governance standards within motorsport's global governing body".

The Scot was a key member of FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem's leadership team when the Emirati was elected in 2021 but the pair have since fallen out amid a series of controversies surrounding the FIA president.

Reid said in a statement that he was experiencing "growing alarm over critical decisions being made without due process or proper consultation".

"When I took on this role, it was to serve the FIA's members, not to serve power," Reid said.

"Over time, I have witnessed a steady erosion of the principles we promised to uphold.

"Decisions are being made behind closed doors, bypassing the very structures and people the FIA exists to present."

Reid's resignation follows changes to the FIA statutes at the last FIA General Assembly that opponents have described as "a worrisome concentration of power" and a reduction in accountability.

Reid's move also comes after MotorsportUK chairman David Richards wrote an open letter to the organisation's members accusing the FIA of a "shift of moral compass".

The FIA said in a statement that it was "grateful for Robert Reid's contribution to the FIA, and to motorsport more widely".

It added: "The FIA has exceptionally robust corporate governance policies which guide our operations and ensure our rules, practices and processes are adhered to."

Critics of the FIA would reject the claim that it has "robust corporate governance practices" - changes to the statutes regarding the ethics and audit committees last year were characterised by internal opponents as "a worrisome concentration of power" and "not good in terms of checks and balances".

Equally, a source in the FIA has told BBC Sport that six clubs on the world council for mobility - the FIA's road-car arm - have not signed a similar non-disclosure agreement to the one to which Richards and Reid objected.

They may therefore be excluded from their next world mobility council meeting, as Richards and Reid were from the last world motorsport world council.

Mercedes' George Russell, a director of the Grand Prix Drivers' Association, described Reid's resignation as "a real shame". Referencing the series of departures from the FIA, he said: "As we keep saying, what's next? It's a shame to see and hopefully we get more stability sooner rather than later."

The controversies that have embroiled Ben Sulayem have included his views on women, his approach to F1, the dismissal of a number of senior figures amid questions about the finances of the president's office and other concerns, rule changes regarding F1 drivers' public behaviour and whistleblower allegations of interference in grands prix, which the FIA has since dismissed.

The FIA is also being sued by Susie Wolff, the director of the F1 Academy for young female drivers and wife of Mercedes F1 boss Toto Wolff.

Wolff's lawsuit follows a conflict of interest inquiry into the Wolffs that was launched and abandoned within the space of two days in December 2023.

Ben Sulayem's first term ends this year and he is up for re-election in December. So far, he is unopposed but there is said to be at least one potential opponent readying a campaign.

Reid said that his resignation was "not about personalities; it is about principles".

"Motorsport deserves leadership that is accountable, transparent and member-driven. I can no longer, in good faith, remain part of a system that does not reflect those values," he said.

Reid said "the final breach of trust and due process" that led to his resignation was a recent decision to take in-house the promotion of the World Rallycross Championship without approval by the FIA senate or world council.

Reid said this action "could carry legal risk under European Union competition law".

The decision is counter to a previous commitment by the FIA world motorsport council that all world championships would have external promoters, be profitable and have a strategic business plan.

It also contravenes an agreement made by the FIA and F1 in 2001 regarding the F1 World Championship in which the FIA agreed it would divest itself of commercial interests in its events to avoid a conflict of interest.

The FIA statement added: "The FIA World Rallycross Championship is a hugely popular sport. In recent years, World and European Rallycross events have been watched by a growing audience of over 30 million viewers spanning over 100 countries.

"The FIA has directly invested into the championship for the benefit of fans, teams, and FIA member clubs. This investment is in line with the FIA's commitment to double participation in motor sport globally."