FIA’s top F1 legal players leave organisation

Governance and regulatory director Pierre Ketterer and head of commercial legal affairs Edward Floydd, both of whom had a hand in Concorde Agreement negotiations on behalf of the FIA, are departing.

Ketterer, who will take up a new role at the International Olympic Committee in April, joined the FIA in 2010.

He has long been regarded as one of the key legal players in the organisation, representing it in disciplinary cases both in F1 and across the broader spectrum of the sport as well as in external matters, and he was heavily also involved in compliance issues.

Under former president Jean Todt he led the FIA’s side negotiations for the current Concorde Agreement that runs until 2026, created the FIA judicial and disciplinary rules in 2011, and was a key player in developing the COVID-19 code of conduct that allowed F1 to resume in 2020.

The 45-year-old’s departure was formally confirmed to teams at Monday’s meeting of the F1 Commission in London.

“I will miss Pierre personally and professionally,” FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem told Autosport. “I have known him for 14 years – long before I became FIA president. I have always found him to be meticulous in his commitment to serving the Federation and our members.

“He was a prominent, well-respected figure in our organisation. I would like to thank him for his invaluable contribution and unwavering professionalism. I am confident that with the team Pierre has put in place, the FIA’s governance and regulatory affairs are in good hands.

“He has decided to take his career in a new direction after years of loyal service, and I wish him well in his new role.”

“I’m passionate about sports and joining the IOC is a kind of dream,” Ketterer told Autosport. “I spent 14 years at the FIA and I wanted to seek new challenges in another sports organisation, I really wanted to stay in sport.

“It’s a bittersweet moment for me as I’m very sad leaving motor sport and leaving colleagues and friends. I have a very important relationship with the President, I know it’s hard to gain his trust, and we’ve had a great time for the last two years.”

Floydd was the primary civil and commercial legal adviser to the FIA and was the lead legal negotiator and adviser for championship promoter agreements, and as such also involved in Concorde discussions.

Ketterer and Floydd join a…