The FIA has introduced System 1 race director Niels Wittich has left his function with speedy impact.
On Tuesday the FIA stated in an announcement that the German had left his place forward of the Las Vegas Grand Prix to “pursue new alternatives”.
“The FIA can verify that Niels Wittich has stepped down from his place as F1 Race Director to pursue new alternatives,” the assertion stated.
“Niels has fulfilled his quite a few obligations as Race Director with professionalism and dedication. We thank him for his dedication and we want him the most effective for the long run.”
Portugal’s Rui Marques, who has acted as F2’s and F3’s race director for the previous two years, will take over from Wittich from Las Vegas onwards.
“Rui Marques will assume the function of Race Director from the Las Vegas Grand Prix,” the FIA acknowledged.
“Rui brings a wealth of expertise having beforehand served as observe marshal, scrutineer, nationwide and worldwide steward, Deputy Race Director and Race Director in varied championships. Most lately, he held the place of System 2 and System 3 Race Director.”
Amongst different roles, Wittich has been F1’s race director since 2022, changing Michael Masi after the controversial end to 2021’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Wittich initially shared the function with FIA WEC race director Eduardo Freitas, earlier than taking up the function full-time later that 12 months.
Beforehand, the 52-year-old German was a race director within the German DTM championship.
Niels Wittich, Race Director, FIA, talks to Jonathan Wheatley, Group Supervisor, Crimson Bull Racing
Photograph by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Pictures
The sudden information, with three races left to run within the present marketing campaign, comes as a shock, and it means F1 is now set for its fourth race director because the passing of Charlie Whiting, who died on the eve of the 2019 Australian Grand Prix.
Chatting with Motorsport.com earlier this 12 months, FIA president Mohamed Ben Sulayem admitted the governing physique is already struggling to search out certified race administrators like Wittich and stated the FIA would put collectively a brand new Officers Division to assist prepare the following technology of race administrators and stewards.
“For those who have a look at our officers and race administrators: we’ve a difficulty and the problem is that we do not have [enough] race administrators,” Ben Sulayem stated. “You can’t get them organized on Amazon or Google. No, you need to make them, you need to prepare them.”
Wittich is the newest in a string of high-profile FIA officers to depart their roles over the previous 12 months.
It comes quickly after Ben Sulayem sparked contemporary controversy forward of the Singapore Grand Prix as he referred to as for a clampdown on swearing, with sanctions handed out to Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc.
The penalties had been met by a strongly worded assertion by the drivers’ union GPDA, who urged the governing physique’s president to rethink his strategy.
Jannette Tan, who was Marques’ deputy, will probably be changing him as F2 race director till the tip of the 12 months.
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