How a chaotic Qatar Grand Prix is ​​a symbol of much deeper FIA unrest within Formula 1

Don’t blame the new race director, but blame the chaos behind the scenes at the FIA ​​as the sole reason that this has now spread to the track.

What did we realistically expect? A workforce that has changed and has not had time to settle has surprisingly made crucial mistakes at the business end of the FIA’s biggest championship.

Mohammed Ben Sulayem’s hire-and-fire approach is causing chaos and stability is needed

At some point, employee mistakes are reflected less on the employees themselves and more on those who put them there.

Rui Marques had never raced in Formula 1 before and yet Ben Sulayem decided he was best suited to lead the critical phase of the Formula 1 season, at a time when the battle of the constructors was the toughest since 2021 was.

Ben Sulayem’s tenure as president has been controversial from the start, but his recent decisions have seen him sack several senior staff without explanation and leave the FIA’s Formula One team completely exposed.

When even the drivers have no idea what is going on, it reflects how disorganized the FIA ​​has become. If people in key positions are fired and replaced so quickly, the quality of decisions will undoubtedly decline.

That’s not to say that a change of race director wasn’t necessary, Niels Wittich made real mistakes in Sao Paulo, but that he had to do this before the triple-header at the end of the season without consulting the drivers and then choose someone who would Leading the race The other side of the planet is an absurd decision.

In Qatar, the overreaching nature of the FIA ​​was exposed. A questionable penalty against Max Verstappen in qualifying was followed by an even worse decision when it came to removing a wing mirror from the track that was in a very dangerous position in the only overtaking area at Turn 1.

The indecision led to both Lewis Hamilton and Carlos Sainz suffering punctures and a very late safety car period that ruined the race for many drivers.

Regardless of what you think of Wittich’s calls in Sao Paulo, you would certainly agree that it is better for heaven’s sake and that they would have kept the standard reasonably consistent for the final races of the season.

Like last year in Las Vegas, Ferrari is the victim of the FIA’s incompetence. Sainz dropped from the top five to seventh, behind Pierre Gasly, and Ferrari needed a miracle to avoid losing the title in Abu Dhabi.

Niels Wittich isn’t the only one who has faced the ax, and it seems that not a day goes by without another employee unceremoniously leaving work.

The FIA ​​shouldn’t be the focus of much attention, but the decisions made by higher-ups have made it clear that serious reforms are needed.

Stewards should be permanent employees, race directors should be seasoned veterans or at least able to prepare for the season, and this changing nature must stop before it makes the sport even more ridiculous.

Read more: Max Verstappen “has it all behind him” after an unusual starting penalty at the Qatar GP