Unrest off the track
The Formula 1 roadshow has trundled into the gambling hub of Las Vegas for this weekend’s Grand Prix but behind the scenes, the FIA – F1’s governing body – is in chaos.
It has been rumbling for some time but was highlighted again in the lead-up to the Vegas extravaganza. British racing driver George Russell, Director of the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association (GPDA), described himself and his F1 driver colleagues as “a bit fed up” with the FIA.
flurry of high-level resignations
This follows a series of spats and disagreements between the FIA and the drivers which has exploded into a flurry of high-level resignations in the organization.
In the last ten days, two more high-level departures have been added to the list. F1’s Race Director Niels Wittich and Compliance Officer Paolo Basarri both left the organization amid claims, counterclaims, and rumors.
Wittich’s departure was described by the FIA as “stepping down” and came as the German approached the end of his third year in the post. In his first year as race director, he shared the duties with Eduardo Freitas, but in 2023 and 2024, he was the sole Race Director.
Masi the first to go
Much controversy has centered on the role of Race Director over recent years, with Australian Michael Masi fired after the end of the 2021 season. In the year’s final race in Abu Dhabi, he controversially ignored the rulebook regarding the safety car, which led to Lewis Hamilton losing a lead that would have earned him his eighth world title. As a result of Masi’s decision, Max Verstappen won his first World Championship.
For Masi, his departure and the reason for it were clear-cut, but less so for Wittich. The wording of the FIA announcement, including the phrase “pursue other interests,” suggested it had not been a decision of Wittich’s making. This was later confirmed in Motorsport Magazin, with some senior sources confirming that Wittich was let go.
One of the factors that made Wittich’s dismissal all the more puzzling was its timing, with just three races left in the 2024 schedule. It was an open secret that controversial FIA President Mohamed Ben Sulayem was unhappy with certain aspects of race management, but no one in the paddock, or within the FIA itself, expected him to pull the trigger with the season still in the balance.
Wittich’s immediate replacement is Rui Marques, currently the F2 and F3 Director, but Ben Sulayem is yet to confirm if this is a short-term or long-term appointment.
Unenviable task
The job of F1 Race Director is certainly a tricky gig though, and Marques will be acutely aware of the difficulties he faces. Within the sport, Wittich had been regarded as a solid choice and most acknowledged that he had made the best of what is a very difficult job. But recent controversies, some of which were beyond his control, have clearly counted against him.
costly to Max Verstappen
In the recent Brazilian Grand Prix, for instance, Red Bull was unhappy with race control due to the timing of a red flag they felt was costly to Max Verstappen. Also, in the Brazilian sprint race, there was a controversial, late, virtual safety car after Nico Hulkenberg had lost power on one of the straights.
There had also been though, an acknowledgement within the sport that Wittich had brought some calmness and assuredness to the job after Masi’s particularly controversial spell. But it wasn’t good enough for Ben Sulayem, who has acted ruthlessly.
It should also be noted that some of the recent controversies were beyond Wittich’s remit, including the judging – and subsequent fining – of a couple of on-track spats between Verstappen and Lando Norris.
Marques earns his stripes
Ironically, Wittich’s replacement, Marques, steps up from F2 and F3 in what is probably F1’s trickiest race of the season from a race management perspective. Last season’s race – the first in Vegas – was beset by problems throughout the weekend, including an insecure drain cover that damaged the underside of Carlos Sainz’s Ferrari.
If this weekend is anything similar, it will be a big test for Marques, although he is well-qualified and highly regarded in the sport. He joined the FIA in 2024 and was initially the Deputy Race Director for the World Touring Car Cup but worked his way through the ranks until moving across to single-seater racing and eventually F2 and F3.
Marques has also been an international steward and a circuit inspector, which the FIA feels has given him an all-round perspective of top-level motorsport.
But, whatever the motive behind Wittich’s departure and Marques’ subsequent promotion, these high-level changes are merely the latest in a long line of hirings and firings that have occurred since Ben Sulayem took office.
Resignations aplenty
His heavy-handed approach has gone down badly within the corridors of the FIA and has reached the point where no one of seniority feels their job is safe.
In October, the FIA’s then-Director of Communications Luke Skipper and its Secretary General of Mobility Jacob Bangsgaard were both relieved of their duties. And in 2023, Sporting Director Steve Nielsen and Single-Seater Technical Director Tim Goss both resigned, along with Deborah Mayer, who was Head of the FIA Women in Motorsport Commission.
a blow to Ben Sulayem
Even more significant was the exit of the FIA’s first CEO Natalie Robyn in May. After spending only 18 months in the job she decided to quit, but without explaining the reasons for her decision. Either way, it was a blow to Ben Sulayem who took the decision to appoint her.
But it wasn’t just those within the FIA who Ben Sulayem has had problems with. As mentioned at the start of this piece, the drivers are also unhappy with his stewardship of the sport and have written to him, giving the outline of their concerns.
Lack of transparency
Their overall concern is around how the President treats and speaks to the drivers – who asked to be treated as “adults” – but there have been plenty of other petty incidents in which Ben Sulayem has involved himself. One of them involved the wearing of jewellery and, more recently, he has attempted to control the use of language in press conferences and on their in-car radios.
The letter also raised the drivers’ concerns over a lack of transparency in how the money accumulated from the various driver fines was being utilized.
In his defense, in an interview with Autosport in September, Ben Sulayem claimed it was difficult for the FIA to find suitably qualified Race Directors, and announced the setting up of a new department within the organization to train officials at a grassroots level.
But, regardless of Ben Sulayem’s off-track issues, on the track there is still work to be done before the 2024 season is done and dusted.
Verstappen’s win in Brazil has made him the massive favorite to win the Drivers’ Championship – the best odds on offer are a ridiculous -4100 – with Norris needing to close a 62-point gap in the space of three races.
McLaren favorite to win constructors’ crown
But of far more interest is the Constructors’ Championship, which has developed into a straight three-way battle between McLaren, Ferrari, and Red Bull.
Currently, McLaren leads the race by 36 points, ahead of Ferrari, and is listed as a -500 favorite, but the Scuderia are the in-form team and are capable of closing that gap.
poor performances of Sergio Perez
At +450, Ferrari is without question the value bet. Red Bull, who started the season as the red-hot favorite to win both championships, has drifted to +6600 mainly due to the poor performances of Sergio Perez.
So, it’s all set. Three races to go over three consecutive weekends. And while everything appears serene on the track and in the paddock, there is unrest aplenty in the FIA itself and with the drivers’ relationship with them.
The race takes place in Vegas on Saturday night local time (10 pm PST) and so by 11:45 pm PST, Mohamed Ben Sulayem will be hoping that all of the talk returns to what has happened on the track.