Michael Blash – better known as Herbie in the Formula 1 paddock – will step down as the FIA's deputy race director at the end of the season, having spent more than two decades in the role.
The 50-year-old began his career in motorsport when he began working with privateer Lotus entrant Rob Walker in 1965. After that he was employed by Lotus where he became race engineer to Jochen Rindt.
Following a 16 year spell at Brabham as team manager, he then moved to Yamaha before joining the FIA in 1996 as deputy race director for Formula 1, a role he has fulfilled without fail ever since.
Laurent Mekies, who joined the FIA in 2014, will take over Blash's role as well as continuing in his current role of safety director.
Speaking about Blash's departure, FIA president Jean Todt said: "I would personally like to thank Herbie for all of his hard work for the FIA over the past 21 years, and especially for his contribution in maintaining Formula One’s place at the pinnacle of motor sport. Along with Charlie, Herbie has been instrumental in the seamless running of grand prix races for over two decades, and we are pleased that he will continue to work with the FIA in future.
"Replacing someone with Herbie’s immense experience was never going to be easy. However, we are fortunate to be able to appoint Laurent Mekies to this position. Laurent brings a wealth of Formula One experience, and has been responsible for driving the FIA’s safety agenda since joining us. Combining his strong Formula One history and work as the FIA’s Safety Director, I am confident that he will ensure that the FIA’s flagship single-seater championship continues to set the benchmark for race management and safety – a status that his predecessor, Herbie, can take great pride in helping to nurture."
Whiting added: "I would like to extend my sincerest thanks to Herbie for his years of tireless work for our sport. It has been a huge pleasure to be alongside him for almost two decades. Of course Herbie will be hard to replace but, with Laurent’s extensive experience in F1, I’m sure he will be a worthy replacement, he will also be able to bring a new dimension of experience to our team of F1 officials."
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