Recently-appointed Formula 1 race director Rui Marques will run four races in Qatar this weekend.
In addition to running his second grand prix weekend, which is a sprint event, the FIA has also named Marques as the race director for Formula 2’s double-header at the Losail International Circuit.Marques has been the F2 race director since the start of the 2022 season. He was unexpectedly called up to become F1 race director ahead of last weekend’s Las Vegas Grand Prix.
His predecessor as F1 race director, Niels Wittich, held that role over the last three seasons. However, the FIA announced in the weeks leading up to the Las Vegas Grand Prix that Wittich would be replaced by his F2 counterpart with immediate effect.
After completing his first grand prix weekend in Las Vegas, where the Ferrari Challenge sportscar series was the only support category, this weekend will see Formula 2 and the F1 Academy series return alongside Formula 1.
Janette Tan, an experienced FIA race director at Formula 4 level and the first ever recipient of the FIA’s Charlie Whiting Award, was set to take over from Marques as the F2 race director from this weekend. However FIA documents have confirmed Marques as the race director for F2 in Qatar.
Tan has left the FIA, according to the BBC. Multiple reports have also confirmed the departure of long-time FIA steward Tim Mayer.
F1 drivers praised Marques’ performance in his first weekend as race director in Las Vegas. Race winner and Grand Prix Drivers Association director George Russell said he was impressed with how reactive Marques was to their suggestions and criticisms about the street circuit.
Marques also served as the race director for the Macau Grand Prix two weeks ago.
Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and
Miss nothing from RaceFans
Get a daily email with all our latest stories - and nothing else. No marketing, no ads. Sign up here:
2024 Qatar Grand Prix
- Horner ‘believes 100%’ Verstappen did not threaten to crash into Russell
- Russell and Verstappen cast new light on clash which triggered explosive row
- Hamilton’s puncture not caused by mirror debris – Mercedes
- Another start-to-finish win shows Qatar GP could be F1’s most processional race
- “Am I dead last now?” Unheard radio from Hamilton’s disastrous Qatar GP
Craig
28th November 2024, 16:58
The fact there’s not a currently known reason for Tan leaving raises the question of what on earth is going on within the FIA.
SPArtacus
28th November 2024, 20:25
Yeah. The true headline is buried here: yet two more people fired without any known reason. MBS really is acting like the more famous MBS. Guy is toxic. How long can this go on? It’s a shame that FIA has rights to the F1 name.
isthatglock21
28th November 2024, 17:04
Don’t see an issue with this. Charlie Whiting used to oversee everything too. Rui Marques is the most experienced guy to oversee it. Let’s get back to the old days, pay Marques more, hire an assistant with the savings to help out with an aim to have a succession line. This is how it should be. We often used to talk about how F2/F3 was governed in a better way than F1. Drivers often also watch these races so they know what to look out for in the race. Keep the rules consistent across all series
SPArtacus
28th November 2024, 18:42
I agree. The RD should, at the very least, do F2 as well. Just like any job, the more it’s done the better and more one consistent is. The drivers will also know what to expect as they move up to F1.
GT Racer (@gt-racer)
28th November 2024, 19:43
Charlie never worked as race director for any of the support series as they never used to be under the FIA banner. His role on F1 weekends was purely related to F1.
And when GP2/GP3 morphed into FIA backed F2/F3 they already had there own set of race director/stewards who continued on in those roles.
A few years ago (I think during the pandemic) they moved away from having separate stewards for the support categories but retained a separate race director so this will be the first weekend that the support categories will have the same race director as F1.
RandomMallard
29th November 2024, 10:52
According to the BBC, no one has covered both F1 and F2/GP2 as Race Director for over a decade, as Whiting gave it up due to it being felt it was too high of a workload.
Elvira
29th November 2024, 11:40
BBC need to factcheck.
I recall Masi officiating a very hectic Jeddah F2 in ‘21 perhaps that workload is what broke him.
Yes (@come-on-kubica)
28th November 2024, 17:47
Ben Sulyamen showing how woefully under qualified he is for the role – money can buy a lot of things but actual tangible knowledge requires more.
Shimks (@shimks)
28th November 2024, 17:49
Someone please explain to me why Mohammed Ben Sulayem hasn’t been sacked?
SteveP
28th November 2024, 20:12
He’s the one identifying the people to be sacked. It’s probably a good thing that he can’t order any beheading.
As to the aspect of him being the one that needs to go, well, the old saying is “turkeys will never vote for Christmas”
SPArtacus
28th November 2024, 20:26
+1
anon
28th November 2024, 21:02
@shimks looking at the FIA’s own statutes, which give the President of the FIA extremely broad powers, there does not actually appear to be any mechanism for the President to be removed from his office.
The FIA’s structure is designed with power flowing down from the President into more junior staff, and the only clauses referring to replacing the President of the FIA are cases where the President either resigns from their position or is somehow incapacitated through injury or illness – there’s nothing in the statutes that appear to allow the members of the FIA to fire the President.
The fact that power and patronage flows down from the position of President is also another factor – those members of the FIA that keep supporting him are the ones that are getting the more prestigious and powerful roles within the organisation, not to mention being able to direct the FIA’s funds towards their own particular projects.
Shimks (@shimks)
29th November 2024, 14:21
Wow, that is absolutely crazy! Thanks for the explanation, anon. Much appreciated!
falken (@falken)
28th November 2024, 19:08
This article leaves out the BBC quote them as saying they were “fired by SMS”. MBS seems determined that it’s his way or the highway. And his way is very different; we certainly can’t have women in positions of power over men, for instance.
Aquila_GD
28th November 2024, 20:32
MBS seems to be running an international organisation like its his private family. Not a good look.
Elvira
29th November 2024, 17:33
The family that drills together, shills together.