'Sporting director leaves FIA after less than a year'

According to the BBC, Steve Nielsen has stepped down after less than a year as FIA sporting director. So this calls for a reshuffle within the FIA before the start of the 2024 season.

Earlier this year, Nielsen was promoted to sporting director of the FIA, having had a long career within the same role at several Formula 1 teams, including Lotus, Tyrrell, Benetton, Williams and AlphaTauri. From 2017, he went to work within Formula 1 management.

Within his role, he was responsible for all sporting matters surrounding Formula 1, including the development of race control, the remote operations centre and updates to sporting regulations. In addition, Nielsen played a leading role in launching the 2020 championship during the COVID-19 pandemic.

After a challenging year for the FIA, with several controversies including track limits and the leadership style of FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem, Nielsen decided to leave his role, according to senior sources.

Although these sources claim that the departure is final, the FIA has not made an official statement on the matter.