It was directly the FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem who communicated to fans and enthusiasts the decisions taken after the analysis made necessary following the heap of controversies that flared up at the end of 2021 for the epilogue of the Formula 1 world championship won by Max Verstappen. The noisiest choice was certainly that of remove Michael Masi, the Clerk of the Course, after what happened in Abu Dhabi, with the promise of his relocation to the federal ranks. In his place, the new number one of the Federation has announced a pair of substitutes, formed by Eduardo Freitas and Niels Wittich, who will alternate during the 2022 season, to whom Michael ‘Herby’ Blash, iconic figure of the Circus will act as permanent supervisor. a long experience behind them.
Eduardo Freitas. “I started as a simple marshal, and I did everything that can be done on the track, from the person in charge of a single section of the track to the leader of the mashals, up to the deputy Clerk of the Course to become the real Clerk of the Course “, told Eduardo Freitas, 60 years ago from Cascais, a Portuguese town on the Atlantic coast, a few years ago. His career in the Federation began in 2002, when called by Jurgen Barth he accepted the role of Race Director of ETCC and FIA GT. Over the years Freitas has been appreciated mainly as ‘referee’ of the 24 Hours of Le Mans and of the FIA WEC, of the ELMS, but also of the FIA World RX up to the FIA Hill Climb Masters, thanks to the consistency and authority shown during the years. The figure of him immediately emerged among the most authoritative for replacing Masi, so much so that he even deserved a petition on change.org to bring him to Formula 1.
Niels Wittich. 49 year old from Erlensee, a German citizen of Hesse, he held the position of Race Director of the DTM, but also of Formula E and Formula 3. He has held various positions within the Federation in over 20 years of service, including as inspector of track, and despite the controversial final of the German touring championship, his name had been given among the eligible candidates for a promotion in Formula 1 since the first weeks following in Abu Dhabi.
Michael ‘Herbie’ Blash. That of the 74-year-old Brit is certainly the best known figure among Formula 1 fans, having been for a long period – from 1995 to 2016 – the Deputy Race Director of the category, Charlie Whiting’s shadow man. But not only that, as he made his grand prix debut as a Graham Hill mechanic at Lotus in 1968. He also worked with Frank Williams and Bernie Ecclestone at the time of Brabham. The partnership with the former Formula 1 boss brought him to the Federation, first as a technical supervisor and then as Whiting’s right-hand man. In 2016 he said goodbye to Formula 1, six years later he will become senior adviser to Freitas and Wittich.
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