FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem has denied ordering a recent wave of staff layoffs – including the dismissal of race director Niels Wittich at three remaining events of the season – amid growing criticism from drivers over the lack of of transparency of the FIA.
Ben Sulayem insisted he did not personally order the recent dismissals of three racing marshals but that it was done by those in charge of the single-seater division.
“How many times have people who lost their jobs or positions in companies, when they left, then attacked and blamed?” Ben Sulayem told the Associated Press.
“We have almost 300 commissioners working for us, so what should I do? I have two choices: I empower the department heads, I sit down with them and then judge them at the end of the term. 'year on their action.”
In addition to Niels Wittich, there were two other dismissals ahead of this weekend's race in Qatar, with race commissioner Tim Mayer saying he was fired via text message, and the FIA saying Janette Tan, who had been promoted to the position of race director for Formula 2, had left the organization. Tan had just been promoted to this position to replace Rui Marques, who had been promoted to Wittich's position.
Ben Sulayem did not give specific reasons for these departures and insisted that the “FIA single-seater divisions have taken the decisions to replace the commissioners”.
As for the severity observed in recent weeks, is this a response to criticism from drivers and the GPDA? No, according to him the commissioners are responsible for enforcing a regulation.
Ben Sulayem believes he inherited “from a regulation that I did not write” and asked “an application of certain things that were neglected – like swearing, which is prohibited in the code of conduct”.
“I didn't write the rules and I don't apply them. The rules were already there before me, some dated back to 1972. We are establishing a clean sport here. We are not telling them 'the rule is not to swear at any time' We just tell them 'don't do it when you're at an FIA press conference.'
“We have 5-year-olds watching us. And even on television or in films, they always tell you in advance what you are going to see and that is what is special about this sport: discipline and respect .”
