Niels Wittich Leaves

Niels Wittich Leaves

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Discussion

davidd

Original Poster:

6,574 posts

298 months

Siao

1,139 posts

54 months

Tuesday 12th November 2024
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Weird timing...

Pincher

9,369 posts

231 months

Tuesday 12th November 2024
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Siao said:
Weird timing...
BBC said:
A senior source said that Wittich, as a result of his relationship with FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem, had left earlier than expected.
How to say so much in so few words... biggrin

PhilAsia

5,839 posts

89 months

Tuesday 12th November 2024
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Siao said:
Weird timing...
Late autumn?

zsdom

1,489 posts

134 months

Tuesday 12th November 2024
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https://x.com/msm_christian/status/185635765349817...

I dont know who that is but to be retweeted by Benson he must be trusted

nnnitram

233 posts

15 months

Tuesday 12th November 2024
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[quote]An FIA spokesperson said: "Niels has fulfilled his numerous responsibilities as race director with professionalism and dedication. We thank him for his commitment and we wish him the best for the future.
[/quote]

Anyone who has worked in a corporation during a leadership shake-up knows this phrasing means "we asked him to leave, immediately".

thegreenhell

19,266 posts

233 months

Tuesday 12th November 2024
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I look forward to Michael Masi being reinstated for the final races to give us an exciting championship finale.

Big Nanas

2,408 posts

98 months

Tuesday 12th November 2024
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thegreenhell said:
I look forward to Michael Masi being reinstated for the final races to give us an exciting championship finale.
Good grief, can you imagine.

I think any 'meddling' by the race director would have to be from Vegas, as Max can easily win his championship there.

AlpineWhite

2,157 posts

209 months

Tuesday 12th November 2024
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thegreenhell said:
I look forward to Michael Masi being reinstated for the final races to give us an exciting championship finale.
We're going motor racing, Christian

rdjohn

6,693 posts

209 months

Wednesday 13th November 2024
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thegreenhell said:
I look forward to Michael Masi being reinstated for the final races to give us an exciting championship finale.
rofl

honda_exige

7,049 posts

220 months

Wednesday 13th November 2024
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Confirmed sacked.

Very odd. Maybe Max wasn't supposed to win in Brazil hehe

Siao

1,139 posts

54 months

Wednesday 13th November 2024
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PhilAsia said:
Siao said:
Weird timing...
Late autumn?
Very late!

Sandpit Steve

12,604 posts

88 months

Wednesday 13th November 2024
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This is a weird one, obviously a falling out with the FIA brass hats.

There’s a suggestion that he had a blazing row about something with MBS at the last race, I guess we’ll get the details when one or other of them writes a book several years down the line after the NDAs have expired.

snotrag

15,162 posts

225 months

Wednesday 13th November 2024
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I've never seen a press release that stinks of 'A Meeting without coffee and biscuits was held' than this.

His face didnt fit, or perhaps he knows too much and was about to shake things up.

Collect your things from your office, dont come back....


This, plus the GPDA starting to shout a little louder, suggests the top of the FIA is not in a happy place.

TheDeuce

27,963 posts

80 months

Wednesday 13th November 2024
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Plainly booted. Either because he was doing something wrong or he was unhappy that the big brass were doing something wrong...

Also, to be fair, there were some wonky calls at the last GP concerning flag timing and safety in very wet conditions.

It must be next to impossible to get that job right these days. Play it too safe and you're ruining 'the show', play too loose and you're potentially creating needless danger. Is the position of race director essentially a poisoned chalice due to conflicting desires from the big bosses as to how each race should be directed...? Probably.


BTW, what happened to the policy of having two race directors post AD21? That didn't last very long! Perhaps it was too difficult to control two race directors... although that was supposed to be the point...


thegreenhell

19,266 posts

233 months

Wednesday 13th November 2024
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TheDeuce said:
BTW, what happened to the policy of having two race directors post AD21? That didn't last very long! Perhaps it was too difficult to control two race directors... although that was supposed to be the point...
The guy who was supposed to be alternating with Wittich as race director, Eduardo Freitas, was fired in 2022 after less than a year in the role.

Siao

1,139 posts

54 months

Wednesday 13th November 2024
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TheDeuce said:
Plainly booted. Either because he was doing something wrong or he was unhappy that the big brass were doing something wrong...

Also, to be fair, there were some wonky calls at the last GP concerning flag timing and safety in very wet conditions.

It must be next to impossible to get that job right these days. Play it too safe and you're ruining 'the show', play too loose and you're potentially creating needless danger. Is the position of race director essentially a poisoned chalice due to conflicting desires from the big bosses as to how each race should be directed...? Probably.


BTW, what happened to the policy of having two race directors post AD21? That didn't last very long! Perhaps it was too difficult to control two race directors... although that was supposed to be the point...
From memory, near the end of 2022 they got rid of Freitas, after messing up a few GPs. They brought the two to replace the previous, bad director and they had to put Freitas on the bench for being, well, bad. I remember it was a bit embarrassing for the FIA at the time.

simon_harris

2,079 posts

48 months

Wednesday 13th November 2024
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Given how tone deaf the FIA are it would not surprise me in the slightest if they brought back Masi and told fans to "get over it"

Sandpit Steve

12,604 posts

88 months

Wednesday 13th November 2024
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So who are they going to bring in for the poisoned chalice as the next race director?

The current Formula 2 RD is a guy called Rui Marques, or will they bring someone from FE or WEC?

andygo

7,133 posts

269 months

Wednesday 13th November 2024
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I'm guessing MBS will take up the position as he loves being in charge.. smile