F1 rocked by SHOCK double resignation

Formula 1 finds itself on shaky ground as a double resignation strikes the upper echelons of the sport.

The sudden departures of F1 race director Niels Wittich and Greg Maffei, CEO of Formula 1’s parent company Liberty Media, have rocked the paddock and left fans and stakeholders alike questioning the future direction of the sport.

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These exits hint at underlying tensions both within the FIA and Liberty Media, raising significant questions for F1’s governance and future competition structure.

Niels Wittich’s departure: Fired or resigned?

When the FIA announced Wittich's resignation, it credited the veteran German official for his service, yet the phrasing - that he was leaving to 'pursue other interests' - quickly rang hollow.

Within hours, Wittich himself reportedly informed Motorsport Magazin that he was not stepping down voluntarily and that he was in fact dismissed by the FIA.

The timing of Wittich’s removal has raised eyebrows, especially as it comes just before the highly anticipated Las Vegas Grand Prix.

With only three races remaining in the 2024 season, Wittich’s replacement, Rui Marques, has minimal time to acclimatise to F1's intense environment.

Marques, promoted from overseeing the FIA’s Formula 2 and Formula 3 series, now faces the formidable task of ensuring operational continuity, especially in Las Vegas, which featured 99 overtakes in 2023, the most in any F1 race since 2016.

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The impact of Wittich’s tenure - and its abrupt end

Wittich’s tenure as F1 race director has been punctuated by both progress and controversy.

After Michael Masi’s turbulent exit in 2022, Wittich stepped in during a period when race officiating had become a focal point of public debate.

Despite successfully handling several high-stakes situations, Wittich’s decisions at recent races, including a delay in issuing a red flag during qualifying and a virtual safety car during the most recent race in Brazil, drew heavy criticism.

Critics argue that Wittich was pushed out due to increased internal pressures from the FIA, especially under Mohammed Ben Sulayem’s watch.

Ben Sulayem, who assumed leadership of the FIA in 2022, has faced prior allegations of exerting undue influence over race officials and is no stranger to controversy.

He has been accused of pressuring race stewards and even clashing with Lewis Hamilton over cockpit jewellery regulations.

However, Ben Sulayem was cleared of any wrongdoing earlier this year by an internal FIA investigation.

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Liberty Media’s Greg Maffei departure

The shock surrounding Wittich’s departure was soon compounded by the announcement that Greg Maffei, CEO of Liberty Media, would be stepping down at the end of 2024.

Maffei, a 19-year veteran of Liberty, has been instrumental in transforming F1 from a motorsport property into a global entertainment giant since Liberty Media acquired it in 2017.

Under his tenure, Formula 1’s popularity has soared, particularly in the United States, and Liberty recently sought to expand its reach further by acquiring Dorna Sports, the parent company of MotoGP.

European authorities have called for an investigation into the company’s MotoGP acquisition for potential monopolistic practices and Liberty’s rejection of Andretti Global’s F1 application has prompted further questions about competition barriers within the sport.

As Formula E founder Alejandro Agag pointed out, Liberty’s dominance across multiple racing series could reduce bargaining power for broadcasters and potentially stifle new entrants.

“From the point of view of competition law, I think there are significant challenges,” Agag told the Financial Times.

“The leverage that this merger will give the resulting entity in terms of negotiating with broadcasters will be significant and I think the European Commission will look very carefully at this deal.”

The investigation is likely to take months and Maffei’s decision not to renew his contract could suggest a desire to distance himself from regulatory turbulence and any fallout that might follow.

With John Malone stepping in as interim CEO, Liberty’s strategic choices will be closely watched, particularly regarding how it handles antitrust investigations and the potential implications for F1’s global reach and fan accessibility.

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What these resignations mean for F1’s stability

The double resignation of Wittich and Maffei casts a shadow over F1’s immediate future.

As the FIA scrambles to stabilise race operations for the season’s closing races, Liberty Media faces significant challenges in preserving its market dominance without infringing on competition laws.

These shifts in leadership underscore growing tensions in F1’s governance structures, as the sport strives to balance commercial growth with operational integrity.

For fans and teams, the unexpected departures offer a stark reminder that, while F1 thrives on spectacle on the track, the battles off-track - in boardrooms and regulatory corridors - are equally consequential.

With both the FIA and Liberty Media at critical junctures, F1’s capacity to weather these shocks and emerge stronger may define its trajectory well into the next decade.

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