FBI to Question F1 Bosses Amid Andretti Scandal Investigation?
Nov.15 - Chaos is threatening to break out not only among the Liberty Media-owned Formula 1 organisation, but also at the governing FIA.
Earlier this week, the FIA shocked the F1 world by announcing that race director Niels Wittich is "stepping down" with immediate effect. The German official denied this, suggesting to motorsort-magazin.com that he was sacked.
"I have not resigned," Wittich said.
With three decisive races still to run in 2024, former F1 driver Christian Danner admitted his astonishment at the news.
"The race director has a huge responsibility," he said. "Not everyone can cope with such pressure, defending the interests of the sport and safety.
"You have to understand that race directors don't grow on trees," the German pundit added. "I think that throwing an impeccable director out on the street without any reason is not only outrageous in itself, but also completely ill-considered.
"Not just anyone can deal with the unbelievable pressure of dealing with Christian Horner, Toto Wolff, Zak Brown. We saw with Eduardo Freitas that he couldn't cope with it. Now we had a man who was doing a great job and he has been sacked."
Danner claims Wittich, although criticised by others for some recent decision-making, was actually "completely impartial" as he strictly interpreted the rules as they are written.
"At first I thought it was the GPDA letter than could explain it, but if you read it, it wasn't about the race director. It was about the president. Maybe he's too touchy," Danner said, referring to controversial FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem.
Indeed, there have been several high-profile departures from the FIA this season - the latest being compliance officer Paolo Basarri, who earlier this year was in charge of investigating allegations against Ben Sulayem.
Several sources believe Basarri, like Wittich, was sacked.
On Wittich's apparent sacking, Danner continued: "A possible distraction from current problems is not a reason to fire a race director.
"Given the fact that we have no new talent to take over this position, I consider this an unnecessary destabilisation of the entire system and a fatal mistake by the FIA."
Meanwhile, there is also apparent turmoil within Liberty Media-owned F1, the sport's commercial rights holder. F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali, as well as others like Horner, Wolff and Lawrence Stroll, are implicated in a US government probe into cartel-like behaviour for blocking the FIA-approved Andretti-Cadillac team entry.
According to f1-insider.com, those F1 officials are expected to be interviewed by FBI agents at the Las Vegas GP next weekend, to question their alleged conversations about Andretti within a closed WhatsApp group.
Sources have denied that Liberty Media CEO Greg Maffei's decision to step down is related to the Andretti situation.
"One thing is certain," correspondent Ralf Bach said. "(US) officials began investigating at the race in Austin in October, but refrained from taking drastic measures on site. Instead, they suggested video interviews.
"But the grace period is said to be over in Las Vegas."
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Wittich's sacking with immediate effect is weird, given he's overall fared decently, even if he's unnecessarily waited with SC, VSC, & red-flagging deployments for the sake of waiting, & arbitrarily shortened some DRS activation zones for the sake of shortening even after already deciding to stop once for driver request despite following getting harder season by season, so I hope these things would finally stop for good with this race director change.
Overall, this mass exodus within FIA this year has been weird, with several individuals either leaving or getting fired.
The FBI reference is interesting & Maffei's decision to step down could indeed be about the Andretti block matter.
Im not sure 3-4 people could be considered a Mass Exodus, by any stretch of imagination
As we’ve seen before we’re dealing in the shady world of billionaires and big business. There are always fall guys to take the blame never the principles with the serious money.
That applies to all corporations worldwide. There is nothing unique about this..
The DoJ, at least for the next two months, takes antitrust violations seriously, especially when the perps are mostly foreign and the victims are American. Fuck around and find out.
F1 would be better off if the six dropouts in the photo all departed so new younger, smarter and more talented operators can be brought in to bring the organisation back to where it belongs as the pinnacle of motor racing, rather than a corrupt establishment riddled with scandals.
Where’s the fun in that!
Now when you say 6 ,are you including the gorgeous blonde far left or AN, im confused, or delighted , or plain old mischievous
Hell, I know which one I’d keep, must post this quick before my wife sees!
Yes, nothing more important than a mere team member.
That gorgeous blonde is number 7 so the other 6 males are the ones being referred to.
Actually, Shroppy, the blonde has more to offer than all the others combined!
She's only an Aston Martin team member, maybe a press officer, I don't know.
Only???
This is true, very true .
I was going to pick up on the Only, but then I thought Aw I just cant be Arsed
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