Marques to remain F1 race director, gains permanent deputy

The FIA will reportedly retain Rui Marques as Formula 1’s race director for the 2025 season, ensuring continuity in race officiating following a turbulent period of changes in recent years.

Marques, who took over in late 2024 after Niels Wittich’s unexpected departure ahead of the Las Vegas Grand Prix, successfully managed the final three races of the season and has now been entrusted with leading race control into the upcoming campaign, according to The Race.

Alongside the Portuguese official, the FIA has announced the appointment of Claire Dubbelman as the permanent deputy race director.

Dubbelman, who has been with the FIA since 2017, previously served as championship manager, overseeing 26 series including F2 and F3.

She also has experience assisting in the deputy race director role, making her a natural fit for the position. Dubbelman is a graduate of the FIA’s High Performance Programme (HPP) for Officials, a key initiative designed to develop the next generation of race directors and stewards.

FIA’s Long-Term Vision for Officiating

The FIA has been working to strengthen its officiating ranks, expanding the number of senior race control personnel and reinforcing its Race Operations Team, which includes technical staff and the remote operations center in Geneva.

An FIA spokesperson quoted by The Race emphasized the importance of long-term planning in officiating:

“The objective is to future-proof race operations through the pathway created by the High Performance Programme for officials,” said the governing body’s representative.

“Offering personalized training and development as part of the Stewards and Race Director Pathway, the FIA HPP works with participants to reach the pinnacle of officiating, preparing the next generation of FIA Officials to work at the highest level of motorsport.”

FIA’s Commitment to Developing New Talent

Last week at the FIA Officials Summit in Madrid, which was attended by 124 stewards and 28 race directors, president Mohammed Ben Sulayem addressed the importance of cultivating new officials.

The event also launched the next cycle of the HPP, introducing 12 new students – six stewards and six race directors – who will be trained to support the future of motorsport officiating.

Ben Sulayem highlighted the necessity of bringing fresh talent into race control, stating:

“There will be new blood and there will be more than one [race director],e he explained. That’s for sure.

“There have been people learning, there have been people working behind all the time. You can’t just throw somebody into this big challenge.”

With Marques continuing as race director and Dubbelman reinforcing race control as his deputy, the FIA aims to create a more stable and well-prepared officiating team for the 2025 season.

This move is part of a broader initiative to ensure that Formula 1’s governance is robust, adaptable, and well-equipped for future challenges.

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