The F1 race director, Niels Wittich, fired and replaced for the end of the season

The FIA confirmed yesterday, in the midst of numerous announcements from teams and F1, the – immediate – departure of Niels Wittich from his position as Formula 1 race director. As the season approaches its end with the Las Vegas Grand Prix next weekend and two more races remaining, this decision further stirs up the problems within the FIA in managing the controversies over penalties imposed in F1.

According to the FIA press release, Wittich, who has been in office since 2022, is leaving his position to explore new opportunities. The Federation did not fail to emphasize his “professionalism and devotion” during his years as race director, expressing its thanks and best wishes for his future career.

The FIA can confirm that Niels Wittich has resigned from his position as F1 race director to pursue new opportunities, the FIA confirmed in a statement.

In reality, Niels Wittich did not resign, but was indeed fired, reports Sky Sport today. He had no intention of leaving his position. An internal agreement was probably reached.

« Niels has fulfilled his numerous responsibilities as race director with professionalism and dedication. We thank him for his commitment and wish him the best for the future.

Rui Marques replaces Niels Wittich immediately

In place of Wittich, it is the Portuguese Rui Marques, who was previously the race director in F2 and F3, who will take over from the race in Las Vegas.

Rui Marques is a well-known figure in the FIA, with several years of experience as a race director in lower categories. The FIA specified that Marques “brings extensive experience, having served as a track commissioner, scrutineer, national and international commissioner, as well as deputy director and race director in various championships.” His expertise will be valuable in managing the final three races of the season and maintaining a certain balance after Wittich’s unexpected departure.

A single man in charge since 2022

This sudden departure marks a turning point for the FIA, which sees a fourth change in race director since the death of Charlie Whiting in 2019, a respected figure in F1. The post-Whiting era has not been easy for the FIA, especially with the controversial episode of Michael Masi and the tumultuous end of the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Wittich, who had succeeded Masi, embodied a stability by now, however, the decisions made in recent months regarding penalties during races showed a certain lack of coherence. In 2022, he initially shared his role with Eduardo Freitas, race director for the FIA WEC, before taking sole control. His career took him from the German DTM competition to Formula 1, where he played a key role in often delicate decisions, contributing to shaping regulations on safety and behavior during races.

For several months, drivers had been complaining about the lack of consistency in the sanctions imposed during races. Others were also complaining about the way certain actions were being judged.

The president of the FIA, Mohamed Ben Sulayem, had already highlighted this year the difficulties encountered by the organization in recruiting and training new race directors, pointing out that you cannot order them on Amazon or Google. No, they need to be trained, he said to Autosport.

This observation led the FIA to work on a project to create an official’s department, dedicated to training a new generation of race directors and marshals. According to Ben Sulayem, the lack of qualified race directors is a major issue, and it is essential to ensure a succession with strong skills to manage races.

Wittich’s dismissal is part of a series of departures of senior officials within the FIA in recent months.