Tim Mayer has been relieved of his Formula 1 stewarding duties by the FIA, and he has said the governing body is “running out of people to do those jobs” after multiple recent departures.

These comments come after it has been widely reported that Janette Tan, who had been set to replace new Formula 1 race director Rui Marques in the role of race director for Formula 2 and Formula 3, has also left the FIA.

Tim Mayer: FIA ‘running out of people’ in senior positions after recent departures

Marques replaced Niels Wittich ahead of the Las Vegas Grand Prix as race director, and Tan’s reported departure means he is set to take on duties in both Formula 1 and Formula 2 in Qatar this weekend.

Mayer, a long-serving FIA International Steward who has officiated in multiple series around the world, said the combining of jobs for Marques after the loss of Tan, whom Mayer described as “the best of the next generation of race directors”, is a tough situation to manage for motorsport’s governing body.

“I know how hard both of those jobs are,” Mayer said to BBC Sport.

“I like Rui a lot, but it will put him under incredible pressure.

“There aren’t a lot of ‘platinum-level’ FIA race directors, which is the FIA’s highest level certification. I’m one of them. It’s a lot of work and, if you are doing the job right, you wake up every day with an ulcer thinking of all the various things you need to be thinking about.

“They’re not doing themselves any favours. They are literally running out of people to do those jobs.”

F1 2024 head-to-heads going into the Qatar Grand Prix

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???? F1 2024: Head-to-head qualifying record between team-mates

As for his own departure, Mayer revealed he learned he lost his position by text message earlier this week, claiming FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem “took offence” at the wording of a right of review appeal lodged by the Circuit of The Americas, after race organisers were fined €500,000 (€350,000 suspended) for a track invasion at October’s United States Grand Prix.

Mayer was acting in his capacity as sporting organiser in the appeal against the fine, having worked on behalf of all three races in the United States.

“For a federation that relies on volunteers to fire by text somebody who has made a significant contribution does not speak well of the management of the federation,” he explained.

“The official reason that will be given is they felt there was a conflict of interest with the FIA as I had led the right of review in my role as organiser.

“But that is not why I was fired. Being an organiser is a role that I have fulfilled, benefiting the FIA, for over 12 years. This isn’t new.

“In spite of the matter being resolved quietly and amicably, he’s still upset and decided to fire me. After 15 years of volunteering my time as a steward, a decade teaching other stewards and hundreds of hours volunteering in other roles, I got a text from one of his assistants.”

The FIA has not responded to a request for comment from PlanetF1.com at time of writing.

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