Hi friends,
I know, I know… Another week of talking about the FIA. It’s clear this is an election year.
Top Story of the Week: The FIA Announced the Return of Shaila-Ann Rao as Advisor to Mohammed Ben Sulayem
Shaila-Ann Rao, the lawyer whose six-month stint as interim secretary general ended in a blaze of cost-cap intrigue and sexism allegations, will return to the FIA on 1 May 2025 as “Presidential Advisor” to Mohammed Ben Sulayem. The comeback lands just eight months before the FIA’s December presidential election and, not coincidentally, in the middle of an ethics and governance firestorm.
Rao’s 2022 departure was framed as the natural end of a transition period, but reports told a different tale. Red Bull objected to her Mercedes ties during the cost-cap probe, and a confidential letter later accused Ben Sulayem of sexist behaviour. The FIA insisted “due process” cleared the president, yet Rao was gone in November, and Ben Sulayem promised a fresh management structure.
Now the same president has lured Rao back, this time as a consultant reporting directly to him. Officially she’ll advise on regulatory and commercial matters across all seven FIA World Championships. Unofficially, her role as former legal director and Mercedes counsel gives Ben Sulayem a tested executive who can steady relations with some paddock leaders and shore up confidence among the FIA’s members.
Ben Sulayem is expected to seek re-election in December, but his first term has been marked by resignations (Robert Reid), public rebukes (David Richards, Natalie Robyn) and a lawsuit from Susie Wolff. Rao’s comeback is a smart play to patch up the FIA’s image on diversity and due-process just as election season kicks off—especially with those sexism claims from her exit still rattling around the paddock.
Bringing back the very executive who once flagged governance concerns could be read two ways. One view is that it’s a shield against further sexism claims: “Look, the whistle-blower works here again, so the accusations must have been unfounded.”
Another view is that Ben Sulayem has recognised the need for high-level legal expertise as he revises the federation’s commercial and governance frameworks. Either way, Rao’s presence signals that the president wants a heavyweight ally in the room while rules, budgets and political campaigns collide.
One date to circle is the FIA Summer General Assembly in June. That gathering, where presidential hopefuls traditionally test policy pitches and quietly gauge support, will be the first public hint of Ben Sulayem’s re-election platform and any rival bids. Expect Rao’s imprint on whatever roadmap emerges ahead of December’s vote.
The Rest of the Stories This Week:
- Max Verstappen will miss the Miami GP media day, due to the expected birth of his first child
- McLaren is leaving Formula E
- Mecachrome is partnering with Audi for their Formula 1 campaign
- Ferrari, VCARB and Sauber head to Miami with special liveries
- Cadillac F1 will reveal “something” on 3 May
- Still no decisions on the proposed adjustment to ICE/electric power split for the 2026 engines
- The FIA may be softening up on the swearing ban
- The Mexican GP has been extended through 2028
- WEC is set to extend the Hypercar rules until 2032
- “Formula E: Driver”, a documentary following the drivers of Formula E is “coming soon” to Amazon Prime
- EA Sports “pausing development plans on future rally titles”
- The FIA updated the Formula 1 sporting regulations
- FOX is under fire over their ad breaks during the race at Talladega
- Kyle Larson will be subbing in for an injured Connor Zilisch in the NASCAR Xfinity race at Texas Motor Speedway this weekend
That’s it for this week, thank you for being here.
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