FIA appoints former team manager Steve Nielsen as F1 sporting director

The FIA has announced that it has appointed former Williams top manager Steve Nielsen as its sporting director assigned to Formula 1 as part of its implementation of a new management structure dedicated to F1.

Nielsen enjoyed a lengthy career in F1 that started in 1986 with Team Lotus and included spells with Tyrrell, Benetton, Arrows and then Toro Rosso and Williams before he became Formula 1's sporting director in 2017.

He will now switch over to Grand Prix racing's sanctioning body where he will oversee all sporting matters related to F1, including the ongoing development of Race Control and the Remote Operations Centre, as well as future updates to the Sporting Regulations.

"I have spent my professional life working for many teams and organisations in Formula 1, and cannot wait to engage with another new chapter with the FIA," said Nielsen upo his appointment.

"I’d like to thank both the President and Stefano Domenicali for their trust in me, and I understand and appreciate the unique challenges that come with being the regulator.

"Having worked closely with a number of people in the Federation over the years, I’m looking forward to tackling those challenges that lie ahead with them - Formula 1 is in a great place at the moment, and it’s our responsibility to ensure the future health of the sport that is at the heart of everything we do."

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Formula 1's new management structure within the FIA will also see Nikolas Tombazis who has led the FIA’s Formula 1 technical team since 2018, take on a more transversal role as Single Seater Director.

Reporting to Tombazis will be Nielsen, technical director Tim Goss, financial director Federico Lodi and operations director Francois Sicard.

"We have dedicated a lot of time and effort to making significant, informed changes to our Formula 1 team to create the right structure with the right people to oversee the future regulation of the sport," commented FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem.

"By developing and empowering people within our organisation, as well as bringing in expertise and experience from the outside, I am confident that we are in the best position possible to move forward together with our partners at FOM and the Formula 1 teams."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.