The FIA has announced that Peter Bayer, who held the role of Executive Director of single-seaters, has departed the company.
Bayer held the position of the Secretary General for Motorsport since 2017, and has also been Formula 1’s F1 Executive Director since 2021.
The news was confirmed on Wednesday afternoon, with the FIA confirming that his position will be filled on an interim basis by Shaila-Ann Rao.
“The Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile announces the departure of Peter Bayer, who served as Secretary General for Sport since 2017 and also as F1 Executive Director since 2021,” read a statement.
“The FIA warmly thanks him for the achievements he has contributed to the development of motor sport over the last five years.
“In particular, he has supervised, with the entire Sport Division, the building of the single-seater pyramid from Karting to F1, the creation of the new World Rally-Raid Championship, as well as improving safety and sustainability in all disciplines.
“The FIA wishes him all the best for the future.”
Bayer also led a recent inquiry into the FIA following the controversial end to last year’s World Championship battle between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton.
His replacement, Shaila-Ann Rao, has previous experience with the FIA, having held the position of FIA Legal Director from mid-2016 to the end of 2018.
She then spent three and a half years with Mercedes Grand Prix Limited as consecutively General Counsel and then Special Advisor to Toto Wolff, the CEO and Team Principal of the squad.
