It has been confirmed that Shaila-Ann Rao will depart her role at the FIA after six months in the position. Rao was appointed Interim Secretary General for Sport following the exit of Peter Bayer in June, having previously been recruited as Director in the Office of the President. She also previously held the role of Legal Director at the FIA from mid-2016 to the end of 2018. Additionally, Rao was formerly the legal director of the Mercedes F1 Team and special advisor to Toto Wolff. During her time in the role, Rao was said to have been a key figure in the introduction of a contentious technical directive to address porpoising. She was also embroiled in the budget cap controversy, with Rao having made the call to Christian Horner to inform him that Red Bull had exceeded the cost cap in 2021 following their 2022 championship victory.
Ben Sulayem thanks Rao
In a statement confirming her departure from the FIA, Rao was thanked for her management of the transition period amid the arrival of a new Presidential Team. Mohammed Ben Sulayem, President of the FIA, commented: "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. "In particular, Shaila-Ann has provided me with great support in respect to Formula 1, always acting with professionalism and integrity."
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