Barely a month goes by without a senior departure from the FIA it seems, but the latest exit raises some serious concerns. Niels Wittich leaving immediately as F1 race director follows a worrying trend at motorsport’s governing body and one wonders what is causing it.
Wittich had held the position since 2022, when he replaced Michael Masi following the Australian’s controversial handling of the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, and was a popular figure within the organisation.
The German had started earning the respect of F1's drivers too. During race weekend briefings with the drivers, he did not always have all the answers, but he was getting there.
The timing of his departure - and the fact it is immediate - is most definitely peculiar and requires more scrutiny. Sources say it was unprecedented and that it comes three races from the end of the season makes the development even more unusual.
Others have intimated that it has come after a fallout with FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem, but this has not been confirmed.
Whatever the reason for Wittich’s exit, it is part of a worrying trend as the FIA looks to be incapable of retaining senior staff.
Luke Skipper, former director of communications, left the FIA in October 2024.
This coincided with the departure of Jacob Bangsgaard, the former secretary general of mobility. Steve Nielsen also left his role as sporting director at the FIA in December 2023, just before single-seater technical director Tim Goss followed suit.
Other departures from the FIA include the head of commercial legal affairs and the governance and regulatory director. Unsurprisingly, insiders say that morale is incredibly low at the organisation, which has been perplexed by the exits of “good people”.
The timing of Wittich’s exit is interesting. F1 is gripped in a championship battle and at a time where strong and consistent leadership and decision-making is vital.
It also comes after a strongly-worded letter from the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association, which took aim at the FIA President. Has Wittich paid the price for that statement in the form of his job, despite not being the one criticised? We don’t know at this stage.
As the battered and bruised FIA organisation limps over the finish line after another F1 campaign where it has been in focus far too much for a regulatory body, now is the time for some serious change.
Wittich had initially shared the role with World Endurance Championship race director Eduardo Freitas when they were both brought in to replace Masi. He was himself an emergency replacement for the excellent Charlie Whiting, who sadly passed away on the eve of the 2019 Australian GP.
What is evidently becoming clearer is that the FIA needs to rethink the structure it has for governing F1 races. With 24 races on the calendar, it is simply too much for one person to oversee.
As with the ad-hoc appointment of race stewards, who work under the race director, too many questions are now being asked by drivers about the consistency of decision-making.
It is clearly evident that F1 needs a professional, rotating group of race stewards, who are not only answerable to the FIA President, but explain their decision-making to the drivers and indeed the media.
PLUS: How an answer to the FIA president’s gripes lies in a pre-Abu Dhabi 2021 arrangement
Wittich’s exit feels like another huge loss. But it should also provide the FIA with an opportunity to make a positive change.
The problem is, will there be anybody left there to implement it?
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