Max Verstappen has questioned the FIA’s decision to replace their Race Director with three races to go in the season.
A mass exodus of sorts was reignited at the FIA in recent weeks, as Race Director Niels Wittich reportedly stepped down from his role after the Sao Paulo Grand Prix weekend. He was immediately replaced by F2 and F3 Race Director Rui Marques.
This was followed by the news that Compliance Officer Paolo Basarri had left his position just a few days later. Basarri launched an internal investigation into FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem last year for possible interference with the results of two Grand Prix last year. Although he was later acquitted, many suspect that Ben Sulayem was involved in the dismissal of Basarri as well as Wittich.
Tension has brewed within Formula 1’s governing body for quite some time.�Sporting Director Steve Nielsen quit towards the end of 2023, followed by a host of senior figures including Deborah Mayer, Tim Goss, Natalie Robyn and several others.
Along with the investigation into foul play, a heavy-handed approach to drivers swearing and wearing jewellery during race weekends, resulting in community service and fines for the likes of Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, have caused numerous disagreements with Ben Sulayem the likely perpetrator.
Verstappen, who was obliged to carry out “some work of public interest” after swearing during a press conference before the Singapore Grand Prix, has now offered his thoughts on Wittich’s removal.
Deal with a different Race Director
Speaking to media in Las Vegas, Verstappen was left confused by the sudden Race Director change. He said: “It’s a bit weird with three races to go to do that. It doesn’t matter if you’re positive or negative about certain things, which I thought in Brazil, there was definitely room for improvement for example.
“It’s still a bit weird to have to now deal with a different race director,” added Verstappen.
The defending Champion, on course for a fourth consecutive Drivers’ Title, thinks it would have been better to change the Race Director during the off-season to give both the new appointment and the drivers time to acclimatise to the change.
“If you want to change normally a race director, maybe you do it after a season,” suggested Verstappen. “”And then you get a bit of time also for the race director himself to get up to speed with things. You have the pre-season testing, you get into your role a bit more but let’s see how it goes.
“I mean, they have decided it, and we have to deal with it.”
Rui Marques will get his first taste of race direction in F1 at the Las Vegas Grand Prix, commencing Sunday 24 November at 06:00 GMT (22:00 local time, 23 November).
Feature Image Credit: Lionel Ng/Motorsport Images