World motorsport council agrees on F1 governing changes
The World Motor Sport Council met in Monaco on 11 December 2009. It was the first meeting headed by Jean Todt as FIA president, and hence several decisions were made to change the governing of Formula One, along with other motorsport series.
The FIA President opened the meeting by reaffirming his strong commitment to encouraging an ever closer collaboration between the mobility clubs of the FIA and its National Sporting Authorities. A particular emphasis will be placed on developing synergies between sport and mobility on safety matters, as well as economic and environmental sustainability issues.
Board representatives from the global automobile manufacturers will be invited to participate in the Manufacturers Commission. The Commission will examine strategic sporting and mobility matters relating to the broad range of the FIA’s activities.
In relation to Formula One, the following decisions were made:
F1 Stewards
A smaller permanent group of F1 Stewards will sit with experienced former F1 drivers to provide a permanent panel of three FIA stewards, together with one steward representing the National Sporting Authority, to deal with F1 at each Grand Prix.
There will no longer be a non-voting Chairman and each group of stewards will elect their own Chairman amongst themselves for each race. Utilising video and radio exchanges they should aim to reach decisions very efficiently.
The current observer programme for F1 stewards will continue, and training, distribution of decisions, and an annual meeting will be encouraged to raise the quality of decisions in this permanent group.
FIA F1 Ambassadors
An FIA F1 Ambassador will be appointed from the membership of the World Council for each event. The Ambassador will liaise with the National Sporting Authority (ASN) and organising team at the circuit. He will also meet with the ASN President, FIA VIP guests, Formula One Management, F1 Teams and other stakeholders and act as an Ambassador of FIA sport.
Points system
Due to the expanded grid of 13 teams, and further to the recommendation of the F1 Commission, a new points system will be in place for the 2010 season.
FIA World Championship commissioners
Commissioners for the FIA World Championships will be appointed by the World Motor Sport Council on the proposal of the President of the FIA.
The commissioners report directly to the President of the FIA and, at the request of the President, to the Deputy President of the FIA for Sport or to other members of the World Motor Sport Council.
The commissioners will be present at each event of the World Championship for which they have been appointed and their role is to serve as permanent liaison for the various stakeholders involved (ASNs, promoters, organisers, manufacturers, teams, officials, suppliers, etc.).
They are also tasked with supervising the general running of the Championship and its development on behalf of the FIA.
The commissioners are not empowered to take decisions or to perform any other act of a regulatory nature which may come under the remit (sporting, technical, organisational or disciplinary) accorded to the officials of the event by the International Sporting Code.
The appointment of the commissioners will allow the FIA President to focus on the strategic development of the FIA and in particular to further encourage the synergies between mobility and motor sport.
