Australian Officials to Attend the 2025 FIA Officials Summit

The 2025 FIA Officials Summit brought together more than 230 officials from 50 nations across six global regions, making it the largest assembly since 2020.

Hosted at Circuito de Madrid Jarama – RACE, the summit showcased 124 stewards, 28 race directors, and 12 candidates in the High Performance Program (HPP), with almost 44 per cent of participants being in their initial five years as officials.

Australia’s representation was strong, with eight officials in attendance, including Race Directors David Stuart and David Mori, as well as Stewards Chris McMahon, Matt Selley, and Colin Trinder. Senior Trainers Tim Schenken and Garry Connelly were also present, alongside Nigel Faull, who participated as an HPP Race Director candidate.

The three-day gathering concentrated on new technologies, legislative changes, and decision-making processes, featuring 55 tailored sessions on subjects such as individual performance, intercultural communication, conflict resolution, and future technological advancements.

Expert speakers and educators provided in-depth training, encouraging knowledge exchange and networking to enhance world-class officiating at all levels of motorsport.

Australian Race Director David Mori shared his thoughts on the experience.

“Having the chance to learn alongside such a diverse group of FIA Appointed Officials was incredible and has deepened my understanding of the skills I need to develop further,” Mori remarked.

“The themes and group discussions struck a chord with me and were pertinent to my role in motorsport. I’m eager to pass on these insights to our outstanding group of Motorsport Australia Appointed officials.”

A significant focus of the summit revolved around the utilisation of emerging technologies to enhance decision-making, efficiency, and fairness within race control.

Officials received training in AI-assisted incident detection, automated track limit enforcement, and predictive analytics, alongside high-speed video analysis and sophisticated data dashboards to facilitate real-time decision-making.

The summit also heralded the inception of the new FIA Officials Department, led by FIA Sport Officials Manager Matteo Perini. This centralised initiative aims to improve the recruitment, training, and support of officials at both regional and global levels, ensuring harmonious operational processes and increased visibility.

Furthermore, the FIA HPP launched its second cycle, welcoming 12 new participants from 11 countries across five continents, including Australia’s own Nigel Faull.

With an average age of under 40 and a balanced gender representation, the programme highlights the FIA’s commitment to diversity and accessibility in motorsport officiating.

The 2025 FIA Officials Summit marks a substantial move in the FIA’s continuous investment in officiating talent, equipping the next generation of officials to thrive on a global scale.