F1 Rumor: FIA Race Director Was Sacked Amid Tensions With FIA President

Saajan Jogia | Nov 13, 2024

May 8, 2022; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Dan Marino and FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem applaud during the award ceremony following the Miami Grand Prix at Miami International Autodrome. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-Imagn Images / John David Mercer-Imagn Images

On 12 November, the FIA announced that race director Niels Wittich had resigned from his role. However, reports now suggest that Wittich was actually "sacked" due to rising tensions with FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem.

Without revealing much information, Wittich himself claimed that he had "not resigned," while Sky Sports F1 reporter Craig Slater has revealed background to the story, stating the tensions between the former race director and Ben Sulayem that led to his ousting despite three races remaining until the conclusion of the 2024 season.

Wittich told Motorsport-Magazin, “I have not resigned," which contradicts the FIA's statement, which read:

“The FIA can confirm that Niels Wittich has stepped down from his position as F1 Race Director to pursue new opportunities.

“Niels has fulfilled his numerous responsibilities as Race Director with professionalism and dedication. We thank him for his commitment and we wish him the best for the future.”

Slater, meanwhile, confirmed Wittich's claims to be true. He said:

"Senior sources have told me that he has effectively been sacked, that there wasn't a volition in terms of him deciding to leave his job with three races to go. That is obviously contrary to what the FIA have put out in their statement.

"What I have also learned, and this has been explained to me by several sources, is that the relationship between Wittich and the FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem was also somewhat at odds, and that has been a contributory factor today.

"Wittich is only the latest in a number of important figures that have left the FIA over the last couple of years.

"In terms of how this is being received in F1 today, there's some shock and surprise among the teams that I've spoken to. They think with three races to go, it's an unusual choice to change horses at this point in time."

The Sky F1 reporter also admitted that Wittich was under the scanner for his judgments at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix. He will be replaced by Rui Marques at the upcoming Las Vegas Grand Prix. He added:

"Rui Marques is coming in, who's been the Formula 2 race director, but is inexperienced in F1 terms. There's a vast difference between operating in F2 and operating in F1, when every decision is scrutinised.

"Wittich has been under some scrutiny. We can look back at Interlagos and what happened there, and even in events preceding that. Amid heavy rain at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix, there were times perhaps when maybe the red flag ought to have been activated earlier on.

"I've spoken to some individuals who felt that Wittich's judgement was perhaps lacking for some of these crucial decisions.

"Was his relationship with the race stewards a bit problematic? Did that surface in Austin when there was all that controversy about the way Max Verstappen races, particularly in defence.

"It's a difficult job. It has been since the late, great Charlie Whiting died on the eve on the 2019 season. People remember the infamous Abu Dhabi race which cost Michael Masi the job as race director, and now this hot seat has proved too hot for Wittich."