Key FIA figure issues scathing resignation statement on eve of Bahrain Grand Prix

The deputy president for sport for Formula 1's official governing body has resigned with immediate effect ahead of this weekend's Bahrain Grand Prix.

In a bombshell post to his personal Instagram page, Robert Reid announced his resignation, declaring that he could not continue in the role further, 'in good faith'.

Reid, who was also a World Rally Championship co-driver to fellow 2001 champion Richard Burns, delivered a scathing assessment of the FIA alongside his resignation, having been FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem's second in command since he was assigned the deputy position in 2021.

FIA deputy president of sport drops public bombshell resignation

In the statement, Reid announced: "After deep reflection, I have made the difficult decision to resign as FIA deputy president for sport.

"I took on this role to help deliver greater transparency, stronger governance, and more collaborative leadership.

"Over time, those principles have been increasingly set aside and I can no longer, in good faith, remain part of a system that no longer reflects them."

Reid was one of two figures barred from the latest meeting of the FIA world motorsport council alongside Motorsport UK chairman David Richards, with the pair reportedly refusing to sign a non-disclosure agreement at the request of Ben Sulayem.

Reid's statement concluded with a further honest admission: "Stepping away was not easy, however saying would have meant compromising what I believe in. This is about principles, not politics.

"Motorsport deserves leadership rooted in integrity, accountability, and respect for process. That's the minimum standard we should all expect, and demand."

In response to Reid's statement, the FIA issued their own official statement to media, saying: "The FIA is grateful for Robert Reid’s contribution to the FIA, and to motor sport more widely.

"The FIA has exceptionally robust corporate governance policies which guide our operations and ensure our rules, practices and processes are adhered to."

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A post shared by Robert Reid - World Champion (@robertreidwrc)

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Written by

Kerry Violet - F1 News Editor

Having graduated from the University of Sheffield with a 2:1 in Journalism in 2022, Kerry continued her pursuit of finding a full-time position in motorsport through work with the F1 Arcade in London, where she got to meet true fans of the sport and make a live grand prix watch party memorable for them. It was here she realised her background in journalism and love of motorsport could be combined, going on to volunteer with the female-led platform Empoword Journalism. Having completed stints as a screen editor and sports editor, Kerry landed her first F1-specific editorial role with GPFans and has thoroughly enjoyed continuing to work more closely with the sport ever since. The access GPFans offers Kerry has allowed her to interview big names such as Naomi Schiff and David Coulthard and given her experiences she could only have dreamt of as a young F1 fan which she hopes to build on.

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