Helmut Marko issues verdict on FIA’s new F1 race director after surprise Niels Wittich exit

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Niels Wittich left his position as Formula 1’s race director in surprising circumstances ahead of the Las Vegas Grand Prix and disputes the FIA’s statement that he resigned.

The governing body broke the news on Tuesday after a quick turn of events saw Wittich step down and Rui Marques step up. Formula 1 will now have a new referee in race control when it returns next weekend at the Las Vegas GP to kick off the final three rounds for this season.

Wittich took over as F1’s race director in 2022 as the FIA moved Michael Masi aside after his controversial handling of the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Max Verstappen lifted his first title with a last-lap overtake on Lewis Hamilton when Masi manipulated a contrived racing finish.

Helmut Marko backs Rui Marques as Niels Wittich’s replacement as F1’s race director

But supposed tension between Wittich and FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem has now led to his departure, with Marques becoming its new F1 race director from the Las Vegas GP. The Portuguese replaces the German having been the FIA’s Formula 2 and F3 race director.

Yet while the FIA said Wittich ‘stepped down from his position to pursue new opportunities’, the German told Motorsport-Magazin that ‘I have not resigned’ and was sacked. Either way, Marques is F1’s race director and Red Bull chief Helmut Marko believes he is a ‘good’ choice.

READ MORE: Everything to know about the FIA’s new Formula 1 race director Rui Marques

Marko believes the FIA chose wisely after promoting Marques to replace Wittich as F1’s race director from the Las Vegas GP. The Red Bull motorsport advisor feels the Portuguese did an impressive job as F2 and F3’s race director since he took over the role back in March 2022.

“He did a very good job,” Marko told F1 Insider. “I think the FIA ​​has made a good decision to present him as Wittich’s successor.”

F1 Insider further reports that Formula 1 teams had also lost faith in Wittich as the FIA’s race director over his handling of the 2024 Sao Paulo Grand Prix last time out. His inconsistency in qualifying perplexed them after waiting different amounts of time before issuing red flags.

Niels Wittich annoyed some F1 teams with red flags in qualifying for the Sao Paulo GP

Qualifying for the Sao Paulo GP proved to be the final straw for Wittich’s tenure as the FIA’s F1 race director, not only in the view of some of the teams. The German waited 22 seconds before pausing the session after Williams’ Franco Colapinto crashed and could not continue.

Yet, on either side of Colapinto’s crash, Wittich only waited seven seconds to issue red flags when Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz found the barriers but held off 51 seconds when Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll crashed – seeing Verstappen bow out in Q2 as a few drivers improved their laps.

Now, Marques takes up the hot seat at the Las Vegas GP needing to hit the ground running as the FIA’s new F1 race director. Formula 1 will likely crown Verstappen as a four-time title-winner in Sin City, while Red Bull will look to catch McLaren and Ferrari for the teams’ title.