Britain's representative on the FIA Senate has been removed by president Mohammed Ben Sulayem.
Ben Cussons - vice-president of the Royal Automobile Club - had been on the senate for three and a half years after supporting Ben Sulayem's candidature for president of motorsport's governing body.
He has been replaced by Azerbaijani Anar Alakbarov - known as a supporter and ally of Ben Sulayem.
The senate is the FIA body responsible for financial oversight and governance structure.
Cussons told BBC Sport: "I received correspondence from the president saying he was appointing my successor. He gave no reason why, and there was no timeline as to when this would happen."
He said his removal had taken him by surprise, pointing out he and David Richards - the head of British motorsport's governing body, MotorsportUK - had been "staunch supporters of Mohammed in his election year and his then manifesto".
"As far as I am aware, I haven't fallen out with him," he added.
"I have written to him for clarification and I haven't had a reply. I'm a great believer in transparency and good governance."
Cussons is in dispute with Ben Sulayem over his pushback on a requirement to sign a stricter non-disclosure agreement regarding FIA business. He says he is "awaiting a reply from the FIA" having made his position clear.
His removal comes just weeks after a change to the rules governing the body's composition at the FIA general assembly.
They gave the FIA president power to appoint or dismiss the required four "independent and qualified" members of the senate.
Previously, the president could only propose their appointment or removal, which required confirmation by the remaining 12 members.
The reason given by the FIA for the change was to provide "more flexibility in having the expertise required for the many and varied topics [the senate] has to deal with and which may require an urgent decision".
Critics said the potential requirement was already contained within other FIA rules, and that it was a transparent attempt to consolidate power in Ben Sulayem's hands.
The other 12 senate members are four from the presidential team, including the president, and four elected by each of the world councils, for sport and mobility.
The senate is empowered to take decisions over the FIA's rules - including those governing Formula 1 - when world councils are unable to meet.
Cussons' dismissal follows the removal of a series of senior figures, all apparently because they have disagreed or clashed with Ben Sulayem.
