For Kenyan motorsport expert and FIA High Performance Program graduate Tuta Mionki, 2024 presented an invaluable opportunity to immerse himself in the world of management at the highest level possible through experience gained in the FIA Formula 1 World Championship and FIA World. rally championship
Mionki’s motorsport journey began in her native Kenya, home of the Safari Rally, an iconic event on the FIA World Rally Championship calendar. She started her career as a rally co-driver over 10 years ago. “I started in motorsports as a rally co-driver in Kenya in 2011 and raced until about 2020. Of course, almost nothing has happened in motorsport during the COVID-19 pandemic.” She said this year’s Qatar Grand Prix was her second Formula 1 event as an observer for the FIA Formula 1 Stewards.
“I thought I should get away from active competition and stay in motorsports.” she explains. Conversations with experienced stewards in Kenya opened a new chapter. “One of them talked to me about management, and I felt like that was something I could do. “With my background in personnel law and labor law, I thought there was some connection to the fact that stewards are essentially judges.”
After completing regional training in Africa and FIA International Steward Training in 2022, Mionki, a Kenya Motorsport Federation member, joined the FIA High Performance Program the following year, an initiative that provides tailored training and mentoring to prepare for the roles of stewards and race directors. At an FIA World Championship level event. “I did it for two days. [at FIA office] In Geneva, I trained with other HPP members and performed both race control and management.” she recalls.
Her first taste of Formula 1 came that same year when she was invited to Imola for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix as an Observer. She soon got the chance to compete in the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona, although the race was canceled due to severe flooding. “It was a really interesting experience, seeing how decisions are made, attending hearings and being able to ask questions.” she says “The stewards were very open in their teaching style.”
Mionki’s connection between her rallying background in Kenya and her managerial aspirations extended her expertise to the WRC, where she observed the stewards’ operations at the Central European Rally, the penultimate round of this year’s season.
For Mionki, the FIA High Performance Program was transformative. “This is a truly fantastic initiative.” she says “The managers I worked with were very open, encouraging and involved us in the decision-making process. This experience is invaluable.”
Her case is also a perfect example of the practical value that the FIA HPP program provides. “You can sit in a classroom and learn a lot, but you understand very little until you see it in action. As I moved from watching Formula 1 on TV to sitting in the stewards’ room and experiencing what happens, I gained a better understanding of decisions and why they are made. “I am grateful for this opportunity and would like to thank the FIA President and everyone who supports this program.” She admits.
In the future, Mionki aims to contribute to both Formula 1 and WRC at a management level. “I want to be a Formula 1 steward and a WRC steward. I expressed interest in these two fields because they match my experience and passion.” she concludes.
The FIA HPP has 23 participants representing 16 FIA member clubs from 6 regions. Additionally, the FIA’s Regional Steward Training Program attracted 195 unique participants, with an average age of 37.5 years and a female participation rate of 42%.
