LAS VEGAS — With only three races left in the Formula 1 season, Max Verstappen of Red Bull stands on the verge of clinching his fourth consecutive world championship at the Las Vegas Grand Prix this Saturday night.
However, the lead-up to this final stretch is marred by notable upheaval:
— The appointment of a new race director has occurred following the unexpected dismissal of Niels Wittich, which caused considerable concern within the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association (GPDA). The GPDA went so far as to create an Instagram account to express their dissatisfaction with the lack of transparency from the FIA. George Russell, a driver for Mercedes and a GPDA director, commented, “It was a bit of a surprise, I think, for everybody. It’s a lot of pressure now onto the new race director with just three races left. Often, as drivers, we probably feel like we’re the last to find out this sort of information.”
— In recent news, Greg Maffei, the CEO of Liberty Media, announced he would be stepping down from his position. This decision follows a period of speculation regarding owner John Malone’s discontent with Liberty’s involvement in two Justice Department inquiries—one concerning F1’s rejection of Andretti Global’s entry into the series and another linked to allegations against Live Nation regarding a ticket monopoly.
The Andretti team is anticipated to obtain F1 approval for their entry, though it will occur without Michael Andretti, who has significantly reduced his involvement since the IndyCar season concluded in September.
— Over the weekend, F1 dismissed rumors concerning Stefano Domenicali, CEO of Formula One Management, potentially leaving his post to take over MotoGP, should Liberty’s acquisition of the series go through.
— Renee Wilm, a long-term employee at Liberty Media and the CEO of the Las Vegas Grand Prix and a possible successor to Domenicali, stated she would accept any responsibilities assigned by Malone but has little desire to relocate from Colorado to London for the job.
Strained relations between drivers, particularly the seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton, and FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem have surfaced since his election following the controversial outcome of the 2021 season. In their collective statement, the GPDA conveyed to the governing body, “Our members are adults” who do not require admonishments regarding inappropriate language or jewelry but simply want equitable and consistent race management.
Ben Sulayem, who will be absent from the Las Vegas Grand Prix but is expected to appear at races in Qatar and the finale in Abu Dhabi, has not replied to the GPDA statement.
Hamilton expressed doubt that off-track changes would be a topic of interest for fans as the season nears its conclusion. Yet, he emphasized that the consistency demanded from race officials remains their primary goal. He also reiterated his support for Domenicali and acknowledged Maffei’s efforts in promoting F1 since Liberty’s acquisition. “I really hope Stefano is not leaving because he’s been so instrumental in changes and progress to this whole thing,” Hamilton stated. “And he knows the sport as well as anyone. But all good things do come to an end, and whoever they put into place, I just hope they are like-minded.” He added, “But sometimes you have to shake the trees.”
This shake-up came suddenly with Wittich’s unexpected departure. While drivers have expressed displeasure with race enforcement this season and held a private GPDA gathering in Mexico City, Russell noted they received no prior notice regarding Wittich’s exit.
Since 2022, Wittich has overseen race direction, taking over from Michael Masi after the contentious finale in Abu Dhabi that altered the championship dynamics. Rui Marques, currently serving as the race director for Formula 2 and Formula 3, will now oversee the final trio of races.
The Las Vegas Grand Prix, which confronted numerous hurdles during its inaugural run last year but emerged as one of the season’s standout events, poses a difficult challenge. Verstappen has the opportunity to secure his fourth title by earning just three points more than Lando Norris of McLaren.
Despite this, Verstappen remarked, “It’s a bit weird with three races to go to do that. It doesn’t matter if you’re positive or negative about certain things. I thought in Brazil there was definitely room for improvement, for example. It’s still a bit weird having to now deal with a different race director.”
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc expressed concerns about the timing of Wittich’s replacement, suggesting, “To do it so late in the season, at such a crucial moment of the season, it could have probably been managed in a better way.”
Drivers have consistently sought clearer rules for racing officials, particularly regarding track limits. The lack of communication and clarity under Marques raises further questions of disconnect between the competitors and Ben Sulayem’s FIA.
Russell underscored the need for better transparency with the FIA: “We just want to be transparent with the FIA and have this dialogue that is happening. And I think the departure of Niels is also a prime example of not being a part of these conversations.”
The GPDA reiterated that they feel their concerns are not heard, advocating for effective communication: “If we feel we’re being listened to, and some of the changes that we are requesting are implemented…then maybe our confidence will increase. But I think there’s a number of drivers who feel a bit fed up with the whole situation.”
Russell further emphasized the perceived rupture between the drivers and the FIA, suggesting that “sometimes just hiring and firing is not the solution. You need to work together to improve the problem.”
Norris, who has had a contentious relationship with Verstappen during the season due to inconsistent officiating, noted, “obviously things are not running as smoothly as what we would want.”
Marques will hold his first meeting with drivers ahead of the practice sessions on Thursday night and will have three weeks to demonstrate his capability.
Carlos Sainz Jr., who plans to move from Ferrari to Williams after this season, hopes these developments do not overshadow the positive momentum F1 has built over recent years.
“I think Formula 1 is in a great moment right now, and all these rumors…every team, every job, there’s job changes,” he said. “It’s not big drama. I’m a big fan of the people you mentioned; they’ve done an incredible job in Formula 1 and Formula 1 is what it is thanks to these people. But it’s just so emotional, especially the Stefano one. The only one that has a real effect is the race director. But I think if he does a good job, it should be transparent and nothing big.”
