NATALIE ROBYN & SARA MARIANI Among Women ‘Swept Out’ of FIA Leadership Roles

July 30, 2025

• Tim Mayer’s FIA presidential campaign is calling out what he sees as cosmetic progress on women’s inclusion, pointing to high-profile departures like former CEO NATALIE ROBYN and diversity head SARA MARIANI as evidence that women in leadership positions are systematically pushed out despite initial appointments.
• FIA Women in Motorsport Commission chair BURCU CETINKAYA BONNET challenged Mayer’s “illusion of inclusion” comments with an open letter highlighting progress, but Mayer fired back that statute changes increasing women’s World Council representation actually came from former president Jean Todt, not current leadership.
• The brewing election battle reveals a pattern we’ve seen too many times – women get brought in to senior roles with fanfare, then quietly shown the door when they try to establish real influence. Mayer’s “reign of terror” accusations suggest the revolving door isn’t coincidental but part of a broader management style that talks inclusion while practicing exclusion.

ABB FIA Formula E, fia presidential election, formula 1, motorsport governance