FIA Defends F1's Deputy Race Director Choice: It's About Merit!
Feb.11 - FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem has denied that the new permanent deputy Formula 1 race director was selected because of her gender.
That is despite the fact that the sport's governing body often talks about the need for greater diversity. Indeed, at the recent FIA officials summit in Madrid, the federation boasted about "an equal gender split" among the latest 12 trainee stewards and race directors.
And it now emerges that while Rui Marques is staying on board as the new full-time F1 race director, he will be joined by a permanent deputy - Dutchwoman Claire Dubbelman.
De Telegraaf newspaper reports that Dubbelman has actually had a prominent role in race control since 2023.
"You cannot simply throw someone into this great challenge," FIA president Ben Sulayem told mainly Spanish media just 24 hours prior to the emergence of the Dubbelman news.
"It's very important," he added. "What would happen if the race director got sick? It's the same as the FIA. If something happens to me tomorrow, the FIA will continue to function without me."
Ben Sulayem also bristled at the idea that the FIA would appoint someone like Dubbelman, 39, to a prominent role in Formula 1 because she is a woman.
"We talk about diversity," he admitted, "but when they say 'You brought someone from this country, or you brought this person because she is a woman', that's an insult.
"We don't have women because we have to have 30 percent, we have women based on their merit and credibility. Because they are good. Because they are trained and they have the passion. Not because 'Oh, I have to have this colour, this religion'.
"Then you won't have a good FIA, a strong FIA," the FIA president is quoted as saying by Marca sports newspaper.
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I've never heard of Claire Dubbelman even though she's apparently already been involved in race control in a somewhat unseen capacity.
As for Rui Marques continuing in the main race director position he inherited from Niels Wittich with three 2024 rounds remaining, nothing unsurprising here, but the unfortunate side effect is the likely continuation of unnecessary DRS activation zone meddlings, even for zones that were already shortened under Wittich's control.
"FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem has denied that the new permanent deputy Formula 1 race director was selected because of her gender."
That is corporate rhetoric confirming that the new permanent race director was appointed because of her gender, just as Bin Slayman was appointed because of his ethnicity and bags of money hidden under the table!
Don't get me wrong, Claire may well do a great job, but come on, clearly she was appointed owing to her gender. To say otherwise is false.
Its wonderfull news Max has won the 2025 and 2026 Dutch Gp thanks to assistance of Dutchwoman Claire Dubbelman come on its gonna happen said Torgers trackside lawyers, but my take is they are simply running out of people for the job and this appointment simply suits his pr endeavors to make himself popular by appointing a lady clogger
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