Bob Fernley will take over from Stefano Domenicali as the head of the FIA’s single-seater commission, it has been announced.
The former deputy team principal of Force India, Fernley left the team in 2018 after its purchase by Canadian billionaire Lawrence Stroll and subsequent transformation into Racing Point.
Under his watch, the team transformed into one of the strongest midfield outfits on the grid, finishing top five in the constructor’s standings for three consecutive seasons prior to his departure.
Since then, he briefly worked as head of McLaren’s IndyCar project, but resigned after the team’s failure to qualify Fernando Alonso for the 2019 Indy 500.
Domenicali, who has held the position since 2014, also worked as the CEO of Lamborghini, but is departing both roles in 2021 as he becomes the new CEO of Formula 1 in 2021, replacing Chase Carey.
As head of the single-seater commission, which oversees the junior series immediately below F1 and the criteria for super-licences, Domenicali was instrumental in streamlining the pathway for young drivers, transforming GP2 into Formula 2 and merging the various third-tier formulae into Formula 3.