The FiA have appointed Steve Nielsen to the position of Sporting Director.
Steve Nielsen.
His main task will be to oversee the Race Management and work with the race directors.
The issues with race direction famously erupted at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in 2021, when then Race Director, Michael Masi made the controversial decision to alter the restart procedure from a safety car, effectively handing that year’s championship to Max Verstappen. Masi was subsequently removed from the post of Race Director, but the 2022 season was not without its controversies, notably in Japan, when a recovery vehicle was allowed onto the track before the F1 cars had returned to the safety of the pits.
Steve Nielsen at Toro Rosso.
Steve Nielsen has decades of experience on the front line of Formula One, having worked for Lotus, Tyrrell, Honda, Benetton, Arrows, Toro Rosso and Williams. He moved to Formula One Management to be Sporting Director in 2017.
Steve Nielsen.
I worked with Steve when he was Team Manager at Tyrrell in the mid 1990s. He has a calm manner and conducts himself with natural authority. His wealth of experience and knowledge along with his personal qualities make him an excellent appointment to this role. The FiA needs to restore the confidence of both the teams and the fans in Race Direction and I cannot think of a better candidate to do this than Steve Nielsen.
By Clare Topic
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