president has revealed there can be a couple of race director this season.
Former F1 race director Niels Wittich was in direction of the tip of final season in a shocking transfer by the game’s governing physique.
Wittich’s substitute within the scorching seat has not been confirmed however – following Johnny Herbert’s departure final month – Ben Sulayem has revealed that “new blood” will characteristic in FIA race management from the primary race in Australia on 16 March.
Requested about who would be the subsequent F1 race director, Ben Sulayem replied at a press convention in Spain: “Who and what number of is a query we’ll know quickly, within the subsequent few days.
“However for certain there can be new blood and there can be a couple of [race director]. That’s for certain.
“There have been folks studying, there have been folks working behind on a regular basis. You possibly can’t simply throw any person into this huge problem.”
McLaren CEO Zak Brown acknowledged final month that his crew to contribute in direction of paying for full-time FIA officers, but Ben Sulayem insists that the ten groups general don’t need to assist fund a stewarding crew.
“The groups can complain, drivers can complain, however then they don’t need to pay for it,” Ben Sulayem added.
“I’m being very, very sincere and straight with you, this takes a variety of funding. It has taken us greater than two and a half years to get to what we’re attaining now. Do we’ve the outcomes? We’ll know the outcomes when the season begins.
‘It is extremely necessary. What if the race director decides to not go or if he will get sick? It’s the identical because the FIA. If one thing occurs to me tomorrow, the FIA will proceed to operate with out me, so this needs to be a system. It’s not about people.
“There are a variety of errors and you then blame the FIA. It’s straightforward responsible the FIA. Why can’t you be productive in your criticism and say: ‘How can we discover a answer?’
‘However the place is the answer? The answer is in coaching, the answer is to convey folks in.”
Wittich first served as joint F1 race director – the individual in command of implementing FIA guidelines, security vehicles and parc ferme rules – with Eduardo Freitas in 2022, following the of Michael Masi after the to the 2021 season in Abu Dhabi.
Previous to Masi, Charlie Whiting held the place of F1 race director and was a extremely revered determine for 20 years from 1997-2019, earlier than his unhappy passing previous to the 2019 .
