Formula 1 race director Niels Wittich has stepped down with immediate effect, the FIA confirmed on Tuesday. He will be replaced by Rui Marques from the next race — the Las Vegas Grand Prix — on Nov. 24.
F1’s race director oversees all sporting and technical matters, with individual cases at events delegated to a rotating panel of race stewards.
The FIA said Wittich, who has carried out the role since 2022 after Australian Michael Masi was removed from the position, had left “to pursue new opportunities.”
“Niels has fulfilled his numerous responsibilities as race director with professionalism and dedication,” it added in a statement.
“We thank him for his commitment and we wish him the best for the future.”
The FIA’s officiating has been a recurring theme since before Wittich arrived. The topic has been a big one in recent weeks, with drivers upset over inconsistency in penalties and at the governing body’s decision to hand Max Verstappen community service for swearing at a news conference.
F1’s drivers last week wrote a letter to the FIA asking to be treated like adults, while also giving president Mohammed Ben Sulayem, Wittich’s boss, a rebuke over how he spoke about the sport and its competitors.
Information from Reuters contributed to this report
