Sky Sports F1 commentator David Croft has been left baffled by the FIA’s 🌊sudden decision to change race directors ahead of this weekend’s Las Vegas Grand Prix.

Last wee꧅k, the FIA announced the shock news that Niels Wittich would step down as race director - a 🦹role which he held since 2022.

24 hours𓆉 later, it transpired that Wittich had been sacked - something he confirmed to German publication .

Wittich has been replaced by curre𓃲nt F2/F3 race director Rui Marques.

Gi🎃ven his reaction to the news, Croft described the🌸 change as “crazy”.

“First and foremost he hasn’t stepped down, he’s been sacked,” Croft told the . “He ad🗹mitted that himself and said that to various journalists.

“The FIA aren’t going to let the race director go if he wants to go with three races to go if there’s no reason behind that from the FIA standpoint because to bring in a new race directorꦰ. Rui Marques has done very well in F2 and F3. But he’s never been the race director in F1.

“To do that before a street race before Vegas under the lights with all the possibilities of something that could go wr൲ong. A race that calls for experience. A race that calls for a calm head and a race that calls for someone that isn’t doing the job for the first time, I find 𓆉it crazy, I really do.”

Croft believes the timing of the change is far from ideal given the potential for Las Vegas to be a tricky weekendꦍ to manage.

The inaugural event was marred by loose manhole covers and delays to sessions, plus street venues often see🌼 significantly more crashes 📖and accidents, forcing the race director to make quick decisions on red flags.

“I don’t know what’s hꦰappened between the FIA and Niels Wittich,” Cro꧟ft added. “I don’t know what’s caused the FIA to sack their race director and to get rid of him with immediate effect.

“To do it before Vegas does seem a little on the strange side to say the least. I am not saying it worries me because I don’t want to give the impression that Rui Marques is going to do a bad job - I don’t know either way to be honest. I am sure that the FIA thinks he’s up to the task. I am su🌟re he will do the b💃est possible job that he can but you need experience in these things. This is a high pressure weekend.

“I hope nothing goes wrong. I hope we get a fairly smooth weekend where we haven’t got loose drain covers or tarmac breaking up or multiple crashes. It could be a bit of a baptism of fire for the ▨race directღor. The FIA have dispensed the services of their race director, their compliance officer is gone as well.”