Nielsen, Goss become latest senior figures to leave FIA

Formula One‘s governing body, the FIA, has confirmed a restructuring of its single-seater department following news that sporting director Steve Nielsen and technical director Tim Goss will leave the federation.

Tim Malyon, who has worked as the FIA’s safety director since 2021 and has been a part of the governing body since 2019, will take over Nielsen’s role and report directly to the FIA’s single-seater director, Nikolas Tombazis.

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Malyon was involved in the creation of the FIA’s Remote Operations Centre (ROC), which is often seen as F1’s own version of football’s VAR, and was set up to aid decision making by race control and race director Niels Wittich.

“I am excited to welcome Tim to the role of Single-Seater Sporting Director,” Tombazis said in a statement.

“Tim has a wealth of motorsport experience and expertise at the highest level. He will play a major role as we continue to bring rigour to our sporting and regulatory practices and procedures, and he will drive the innovation we have brought to our Race Control operation.

“Tim has been pivotal in creating a strong synergy between Race Control and the ROC with the introduction of new technology including artificial intelligence and state-of-the-art data analysis and processing systems. He will continue to oversee advances in that area as well as taking the lead on the evolution of FIA sporting regulations.”

News of Nielsen’s departure broke last month amid reports he had stepped away from his role because he did not feel the FIA was willing to make the changes he felt were necessary to its race control operations.

The FIA said Goss, formerly technical director at McLaren, had decided to leave to take up a new opportunity outside of the governing body.

“We are disappointed to lose a person of Tim’s calibre from the organisation,” Tombazis added. “Tim has played a major part in the technical department and has always operated to the highest level.

“We understand that his career is taking a new direction going forward and we support and respect his desire to pursue another path, and wish him luck for his future endeavours.”