FIA Confirms Cybersecurity Breach Exposing Personal Data of Max Verstappen and Hundreds of Drivers

In a cybersecurity breach confirmed by the FIA, hackers accessed the Driver Categorisation portal, exposing personal data of nearly 7,000 motorsport drivers including F1 star Max Verstappen. Ethical hackers Ian Carroll, Gal Nagli, and Sam Curry exploited a vulnerability in the system by obtaining administrator-level access, which allowed them to view sensitive documents such as passports, resumes, licenses, and internal FIA communications. The hackers emphasized they did not download or save any data and immediately reported the flaw to the FIA, which took the portal offline and implemented a fix within a week. The FIA stated that the breach was promptly addressed, data protection authorities were notified, and only a small number of drivers were affected, with no other FIA digital platforms impacted. The incident highlighted the FIA's existing investments in cybersecurity and their security-by-design approach to digital initiatives. Overall, the hackers' actions aimed to expose weaknesses rather than cause harm, and the FIA collaborated closely with them to secure driver data and prevent future incidents.