Motorsport Week
  • Formula 1
    • 2025 Formula 1 Calendar
    • 2025 Formula 1 Standings
  • Formula E
    • 2025 Formula E Calendar
    • 2025 Formula E Standings
  • IndyCar
    • 2025 IndyCar Calendar
    • 2025 IndyCar Standings
  • WRC
    • 2025 WRC Standings
    • 2025 WRC Calendar
  • MotoGP
    • 2025 MotoGP Calendar
    • 2025 MotoGP Standings
    • Moto2
    • Moto3
  • WEC
    • 2025 WEC Calendar
  • IMSA
    • 2025 IMSA Calendar
  • World SBK
  • More
    • Formula 2
    • Formula 3
    • F1 Academy
    • Moto2
    • Moto3
    • World Superbikes
    • Technical Insight
    • Galleries
    • About/Contact
    • Privacy Policy
No Result
View All Result
  • Formula 1
    • 2025 Formula 1 Calendar
    • 2025 Formula 1 Standings
  • Formula E
    • 2025 Formula E Calendar
    • 2025 Formula E Standings
  • IndyCar
    • 2025 IndyCar Calendar
    • 2025 IndyCar Standings
  • WRC
    • 2025 WRC Standings
    • 2025 WRC Calendar
  • MotoGP
    • 2025 MotoGP Calendar
    • 2025 MotoGP Standings
    • Moto2
    • Moto3
  • WEC
    • 2025 WEC Calendar
  • IMSA
    • 2025 IMSA Calendar
  • World SBK
  • More
    • Formula 2
    • Formula 3
    • F1 Academy
    • Moto2
    • Moto3
    • World Superbikes
    • Technical Insight
    • Galleries
    • About/Contact
    • Privacy Policy
No Result
View All Result
Motorsport Week
Home Single Seater Formula 1

Formula 1 not seeking a return to one race director

by Fergal Walsh
2 years ago
A A
0
Formula 1 not seeking a return to one race director
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Formula 1 will continue to have multiple race directors going forward after introducing a new structure in 2022, says FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem.

Niels Wittich and Eduardo Freitas rotated the role last year following the departure of Michael Masi at the end of the 2021 campaign.

Masi’s reign came to a conclusion in controversy as he was heavily criticised for how he handled the Safety Car restart on the final lap of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, which saw Max Verstappen beat Lewis Hamilton to the title.

But drivers and teams highlighted a lack of consistency throughout 2022 with two people fulfilling the role.

RelatedPosts

Racing Bulls has released a new livery for the British GP

Racing Bulls showcases special livery for F1 British GP

1 hour ago
Lewis Hamilton converged closer to Charles Leclerc's set-up at Ferrari in Austria

How converging on Charles Leclerc’s set-up has aided Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari

5 hours ago

Despite their concerns, Ben Sulayem says that F1 will continue to operate with multiple people in the position, which he says acts as a contingency plan in the event that a problem arises with one of the personnel.

“There is a process now and I have a team who is going through a proper process and training for stewarding, and for race directors,” Ben Sulayem said at the Dakar Rally, as quoted by Autosport.

“You cannot just have one race director and rely on them. I see that we should prepare the second role. We cannot rely in the biggest discipline that we have, or any other discipline.

“What if something happened? If we are going to sustain motorsport, we have to be ready with training.

“I am a big believer that there is, somewhere in the world, better race directors than anyone, better stewards. 

“Now we are reaching to the ASNs and we are asking them to send us people for the training, and we have a proper team now for the training. You will get good [officials]. I promise this.”

Ben Sulayem suggests Masi wanted out of FIA role

Following the fallout of the 2021 Abu Dhabi GP, the FIA conducted an investigation into the incident and concluded that human error was behind the controversy.

Masi departed the FIA soon after – but Ben Sulayem says that his exit was not solely a decision made by the governing body.

“It was also his choice,” he said. “I’d been talking to him at the beginning. There were human errors there, and I felt that he also wanted to just not go further, because of what he got from the social media, the toxic social media.

“I spoke to him, and it was unfair also for him. The FIA was always supportive. This is the same thing that’s happening to Silvia [Bellot, FIA steward], again to some of our members: threats. 

“I got some threats also, to reverse the results, but I didn’t take them seriously.  

“But now we stand against the toxic social media that will affect our sport. I am a big believer that if we don’t take a stand, we might find the damage will be beyond repair for our sport in the future.”

Tags: F1FIA
Share199Tweet124Share

Related Posts

Racing Bulls has released a new livery for the British GP
Formula 1

Racing Bulls showcases special livery for F1 British GP

1 hour ago
Lewis Hamilton converged closer to Charles Leclerc's set-up at Ferrari in Austria
Formula 1

How converging on Charles Leclerc’s set-up has aided Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari

5 hours ago
Lando Norris converted pole position to win the 2025 F1 Austrian GP
Feature

Motorsport Week’s F1 2025 Austrian GP Driver Ratings

7 hours ago
Load More

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Upcoming Races

#EventDate
11Austrian GP27-29 June
12British GP04-06 July
13Belgian GP25-27 July
14Hungarian GP01-03 August
15Dutch GP29-31 August

Click here for the full 2025 F1 calendar

Drivers’  Standings

#DriverPts
Oscar Piastri216
Lando Norris201
Max Verstappen155
George Russell146
Charles Leclerc120
Lewis Hamilton91
Andrea Kimi Antonelli63
Alexander Albon42
Isack Hadjar28
Esteban Ocon23

Click here for full Drivers’ Standings

Latest Articles

Racing Bulls has released a new livery for the British GP
Formula 1

Racing Bulls showcases special livery for F1 British GP

July 1, 2025
Lewis Hamilton converged closer to Charles Leclerc's set-up at Ferrari in Austria
Formula 1

How converging on Charles Leclerc’s set-up has aided Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari

July 1, 2025
Lando Norris converted pole position to win the 2025 F1 Austrian GP
Feature

Motorsport Week’s F1 2025 Austrian GP Driver Ratings

July 1, 2025

Follow Motorsport Week

Join our daily motorsport newsletter

* indicates required

Motorsport Week

© 2024 Motorsport Media Services Ltd

Other Links

  • About & Contact
  • Privacy Policy
  • Motorsport Monday

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • Login
  • Sign Up
  • Home
  • Formula 1
    • Latest News
    • 2025 F1 Calendar
    • 2025 F1 Championship Standings
  • Formula E
    • Latest News
    • 2025 FE Calendar
    • 2025 FE Championship Standings
  • MotoGP
    • Latest News
    • 2025 MotoGP Calendar
    • 2025 MotoGP Standings
    • Moto2
    • Moto3
    • World Superbikes
  • WRC
    • Latest News
    • 2025 WRC Calendar
    • 2025 WRC Standings
  • IndyCar
    • Latest News
    • 2025 IndyCar Calendar
    • 2025 IndyCar Standings
  • WEC
    • Latest News
    • 2025 WEC Calendar
  • Live Updates
  • Other
    • IMSA
    • Formula 2
    • Formula 3
    • F1 Academy
    • Moto2
    • Moto3
    • World Superbikes
  • Galleries
  • About/Contact
  • Privacy Policy

© 2024 Motorsport Media Services Ltd