Sergio Perez recently shared his thoughts on the departure of FIA Race Director Niels Wittich, revealing that he believed Wittich had been “sacked” following a series of controversies surrounding the governing body.
Earlier this week, the FIA announced that Niels Wittich would be stepping down from his role as Race Director in Formula 1, with the organization thanking him for his contributions. Wittich himself suggested that he had decided to pursue a new challenge, but Sergio Perez, the Red Bull driver, seems to believe that Wittich’s departure was due to being dismissed.
Wittich’s departure adds to a growing list of high-profile figures leaving the FIA, including Sporting Director Steve Nielsen, Technical Director Tim Goss, and CEO Natalie Robyn. On Thursday, Paolo Basarri, the FIA’s compliance officer, also joined the list of notable exits.
The controversy surrounding Wittich escalated after incidents at the Austin Grand Prix and the Mexico City Grand Prix, where discussions around racing rules and overtaking tactics dominated Formula 1 headlines. Additional controversial moments, such as drivers receiving penalties for swearing in press conferences, also raised questions about the FIA’s handling of the sport. Notably, Max Verstappen received a community service penalty, and Charles Leclerc faced a fine for swearing.
In an interview with Banorte, Perez expressed his opinions on the current state of Formula 1 rules and the recent controversies, stating:
“In sports, there’s always someone who agrees and someone who doesn’t. Sometimes, I think that right now there’s a bit of a lack of control. In fact, they just fired the race director, Niels. So now we’re going to have a new race director. So it’s going to be interesting. I think we need stability, the drivers, the teams in general.”
Perez also commented on the GPDA statement, which suggested that Wittich’s strained relationship with drivers contributed to his departure. The statement highlighted issues like Wittich’s strict penalties for swearing and his stance on fireproof underwear and jewelry.
Perez shared his thoughts on the GPDA’s open letter, saying:
“I think that’s [GPDA statement] good. The truth is that we are making it more public because in the end we are in a generation where we understand how important we are. We are, in the end, only 20 drivers in the world and it is important that we are heard as drivers. Formula 1 has grown a lot. Everyone is looking out for their interests and, in the end, they have neglected the driver a lot.”
Perez’s comments reflect the growing tension between Formula 1 drivers and the FIA leadership, as the sport continues to evolve.
