F1’s new race director speaks out as he admits to unprecedented new challenge

New FIA Race Director Rui Marques has spoken for the first time about his appointment, having been dropped in for the final three races of F1 2024.

Last week, the FIA confirmed the departure of race director Niels Wittich after almost three years of service to the governing body.

Rui Marques takes over as FIA Race Director

A bombshell announcement was made by the FIA last week when the F1 governing body confirmed Niels Wittich will no longer be race director with immediate effect.

The German, who boasted plenty of experience as a race director from his time with DTM, had been appointed by President Mohammed Ben Sulayem ahead of the 2022 season, sharing the role on a rotational basis with Eduardo Freitas.

By season end, Freitas had been released from this arrangement – widely believed to be due to permitting a digger recovery vehicle on the track at the wet 2022 Japanese Grand Prix – with Wittich assuming the position in a full-time capacity.

However, Wittich has now also left, with the FIA releasing a short statement on the matter.

“The FIA can confirm that Niels Wittich has stepped down from his position as F1 Race Director to pursue new opportunities,” read the statement.

“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.

“Rui Marques will assume the role of Race Director from the Las Vegas Grand Prix. Rui brings a wealth of experience having previously served as track marshal, scrutineer, national and international steward, Deputy Race Director, and Race Director in various championships. Most recently, he held the position of Formula 2 and Formula 3 Race Director.”

Marques, who hails from Portugal – a compatriot of Freitas – has worked at the Portuguese Automobile and Karting Federation and has also served as assistant race director in the World Touring Car Cup.

Marques was the Race Director for action at last weekend’s Macau Grand Prix, with the Formula Regional World Cup marred by an astonishing 12 red flags during the qualifying session – while handy to sharpen his senses ahead of being dropped into Formula 1, the final triple-header of 2024 marks a baptism of fire for Marques, who has no F1 experience.

Speaking to media in Macau, Marques addressed his new appointment for the first time.

“It’s not a question of being surprised. Things evolve and the experience we gain brings us these possibilities,” he said when asked if he was surprised to have received the call-up from the FIA to take over the senior race administration role in F1.

More on the FIA and F1’s governance

? Explained: What is ‘parc fermé’ and how does the FIA enforce it?

? FIA explained: What does it stand for and how does it govern F1?

With Macau serving as a definitive proving ground for junior drivers in their attempts to rise to F1, did his experience in overseeing Macau help with convincing the FIA he’s the right man to take over from Wittich?

“I believe that we all evolve in the categories we enter because of the history and experience we gain,” he said.

“Macau is another one of those experiences. We take the experience of Macau to city races, to those kinds of circuits, and Macau is part of that whole cake.”

While Marques is succeeding Wittich with immediate effect, he was not able to confirm whether he will hold the position on into F1 2025.

“At the moment, I’m going to race until the end of the year,” he said. “Then we’ll see about the future.”

Given that Formula 1 has now gone through three race directors – Freitas, Wittich, and Michael Masi – since the death of Charlie Whiting in early 2019, Marques was matter-of-fact when asked whether he feels the role is somewhat cursed.

“No, it’s another category for which I’ll be race director,” he said, but admitted that “it’s true” the challenges – particularly in terms of the media – will be very different to what he’s used to.

Wittich’s time as race director got off to a rocky start as he sought to clamp down on seemingly inconsequential rules such as the wearing of jewelry, while the FIA, although not specifically Wittich, has also drawn the ire of the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association in recent months due to its sudden enforcement of the driver’s use of swearing – Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc having both been penalised for doing so.

Asked how he sees such sanctions, Marques laughed, “I’m not going to go into that. I’m just a race director!”

With Marques’ experience at Macau stemming back to 1999, he said he holds out hope that, at some point, he’ll get to return to the iconic race, even if F1 takes over his professional life.

“If you look at the calendar, the race weekend is available,” he said. “And I always like to go back.”

Read Next: FIA warned it has made ‘fatal mistake’ amid F1 race director exit uncertainty