FIA appoints new F1 Commissioner
Will lead Improvements
The FIA has appointed a new F1 Commissioner to help with its strategies and improvements in grand prix racing, 12oz Sports has learned. Dieter Rencken, a former F1 journalist who has been advising FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem for a few months, has been appointed to the position with immediate effect.
Rencken’s primary responsibility will be to assist the governing body in devising and implementing improvements for F1. It is understood that he will report directly to Ben Sulayem. The FIA is a separate organization from FOM, which holds the commercial rights to F1. In addition, Rencken will be involved in discussions related to the framing of the new Concorde Agreement, which is expected to be implemented in 2026 and govern the running of F1.
FIA on Twitter: “Who will take the checkered flag at the legendary Macau GP this year? 🏁 Make sure to watch live on FIA YouTube channel 16 – 19 Nov : https://t.co/FvjCUJPcNB#MacauGP | #FIAF3WorldCup | #FIAGTWorldCup pic.twitter.com/COaakV6Zvc / Twitter”
Who will take the checkered flag at the legendary Macau GP this year? 🏁 Make sure to watch live on FIA YouTube channel 16 – 19 Nov : https://t.co/FvjCUJPcNB#MacauGP | #FIAF3WorldCup | #FIAGTWorldCup pic.twitter.com/COaakV6Zvc
Previous Desire Brought to Reality
The possibility of the FIA having a dedicated F1 commissioner has been a topic of discussion on several occasions in the past. In fact, former FIA president Jean Todt included it in his manifesto when he took office in 2009. However, the plans were later abandoned for two reasons. Firstly, Todt couldn’t find the right person for the position. This is because the FIA, being a non-profit organization, couldn’t afford to pay enough to attract the best candidates.
Credit: https://cdn-8.motorsport.com/images/mgl/6lM9lO40/s700/f1-abu-dhabi-gp-2017-carlos-sainz-jr-renault-sport-f1-team-and-dieter-rencken-journalist.webp
Speaking previously, Jean Todt expressed the need for someone to fill the role of commissioner. However, he found it difficult to find a suitable candidate who was willing to work almost free of charge. Todt decided not to pursue the idea, as he felt it wasn’t necessary while Bernie Ecclestone was still in charge of the F1 Commission.
Concorde Agreement is the driving force
Recently, Todt’s successor, Ben Sulayem, has expressed the need for a strong team to negotiate the new Concorde Agreement. He stated that technical people are not the ones needed for negotiations. Sulayem believes that his current team is capable and ready to lead the negotiations. The new agreement should be fair to all three stakeholders: FIA, FOM, and the 10 teams.