Following Wittich, FIA compliance director Basarri also resigned!
Another high-profile name has been added to the list of high-profile names leaving the FIA.
Just days after the sudden departure of FIA Formula 1 Race Director Niels Wittich, another key figure, compliance director Paolo Basarri, has also left the organisation.
According to the BBC, multiple sources within and close to the FIA have said that Basarri, who was responsible for ensuring harmony and integrity within the organisation, was sacked after losing the confidence of president Mohammed Ben Sulayem.
Basarri is thought to have “rejected or tried to work around” several requests from the FIA president, leading to tensions that ultimately cost him his position.
Speaking to BBC Sport, Basarri declined to elaborate on his reasons for leaving the role, saying: “I cannot comment on that.” The FIA also declined to comment.
However, Wittich, who left the FIA before Basarri, told BBC Sport on Thursday that his departure was not his choice.
“I can confirm that I was sacked and it was not my decision to leave F1,” he said, reinforcing concerns about the FIA’s lack of transparency.
Basarri’s departure is particularly concerning given his role investigating serious allegations against Ben Sulayem made earlier this year.
Basarri was tasked with investigating allegations that the FIA president interfered with the results of the 2023 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix and Las Vegas Grand Prix.
While Ben Sulayem was eventually cleared of those charges by the FIA’s ethics committee, Basarri’s departure raises questions about the independence of the investigation and possible pressures.
The departures of Basarri and Wittich are not isolated incidents, as the FIA has seen the departure of a number of senior staff in recent months, including sporting director Steve Nielsen, FIA Women’s Commission President Deborah Mayer, chief engineer Tim Goss, CEO Natalie Robyn, communications director Luke Skipper and mobility secretary general Jacob Bangsgaard.
These departures, combined with the controversy surrounding Ben Sulayem’s leadership, have cast a shadow over the FIA.
The latest letter from the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association (GPDA) expressing disappointment with the FIA’s handling of driver conduct further highlights the growing discontent in the sport.
These developments raise serious questions about the FIA’s ability and credibility to effectively govern Formula 1. As the organisation grapples with these internal challenges, concerns about the future of the sport and the integrity of decisions being made are growing.
