The FIA has announced that FIA President, Mohammed Ben Sulayem has appointed Shaila-Ann Rao as a Presidential Advisor.
Ms Rao will provide advice to the FIA President on a range of issues including regulatory and commercial matters related to the seven FIA World Championships. She will commence her role on 1st May 2025.
Ms Rao is a dual qualified lawyer, being both an English Solicitor and a French Lawyer admitted to the Paris Bar, and has significant experience in global motor sport having previous served as the Interim FIA Secretary General for Motor Sport and as FIA Legal Director. She has also worked as General Counsel for the Mercedes F1 Team and as Special Advisor to its CEO & Team Principal, Toto Wolff.
In June 2022 she was appointed interim secretary general of the FIA, replacing Peter Bayer, who had served as Secretary General for Sport since 2017 and also as F1 Executive Director since 2021, having been appointed to that role in the wake of the infamous 2021 Abu Dhabi race. Indeed, it was Bayer who led the subsequent investigation in to events surrounding the controversial Grand Prix.
Then Ferrari boss Mattia Binotto admitted his unease following the appointment of the former Mercedes employee to the roles.
"It's a concern," he said at the time. "I think she is a great person," he continued. "She's got a lot of experience. She will certainly be capable of doing the job, I'm pretty sure of that.
"It's down to them to make sure that there will be no conflicts of interest at all," he added, "to behave properly, and it's down to the president to ensure it and I have trust that they will do it."
Red Bull had also voiced concern at her appointment.
Come November and the FIA announced that Rao was no longer its interim secretary general and would be leaving the FIA at the end of the season.
"On behalf of everyone at the FIA, I would like to thank Shaila-Ann for her invaluable contribution in her role as Interim Secretary General for Motor Sport during an important transitional phase for the organisation," said Ben Sulayem, the announcement coming days after the FIA president had dismissed speculation that Rao was involved in leaking details of Red Bull's breaching of the 2021 budget cap.
Ms Rao's appointment comes at a pivotal time for the FIA, as the Federation continues its organisational transformation and financial reform, reflected in forecasted 2024 operation results of €2.2m in contrast to the -€ 24m that was inherited in 2021.
"I am delighted to welcome back Shaila-Ann Rao to the FIA," said Ben Sulayem. "She has an exceptional record in global motor sport and will be a great asset to me and my team as we continue to improve the regulatory and commercial frameworks across all the FIA World Championships benefiting our drivers, teams and FIA Member Clubs. She will also advise me on matters related to all the FIA World Championship promoters."
"I am looking forward to advising the FIA President across the FIA World Championships and building on the significant progress that has already been made during his Presidential term strengthening the Championships' regulatory and commercial frameworks," added Ms Rao. "The FIA holds a unique place in global sport, and I am excited to support the FIA at this time and to help the FIA President deliver an even stronger future for motor sport."
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