Former Formula 1 team boss Eddie Jordan has raised suspicions about the decisions made by the race officials in Brazil. Prior to the spectacular rain race – brilliantly won by Max Verstappen – the management is alleged to have tried everything to sabotage Verstappen. Jordan claims that the FIA has a vested interest in Lando Norris winning the world title.
In his Formula for Success podcast, Eddie Jordan launched a scathing attack on the FIA and the Formula 1 race officials. In a heated discussion with co-host David Coulthard, he accused the race officials of deliberately disadvantaging Verstappen during the last race weekend in São Paulo. The analysts discussed the thrilling final stages of the championship, where Verstappen remains the favourite to become world champion for the fourth year in a row.
However, it was a close call in Brazil, where Lando Norris almost further closed the gap on his competitor. Thanks to an unfortunate safety car incident, Verstappen qualified in seventeenth place, while the Brit secured the pole position. “Of course, you need a bit of luck with a safety car,” Coulthard explained. “We just have to assume that the race director isn’t looking at where all the cars are exactly at such a moment.”
“Of course he does,” Eddie Jordan interrupted him sharply. “Of course he does,” the Irishman referred to race director Niels Wittich. “You can’t convince me that it was fair that Max (Verstappen) was knocked out in Q1. Come on, don’t be silly. You know that Lando (Norris) is favored. They think he should win the championship. But that’s not going to happen, because Verstappen is outsmarting everyone. That’s just the way it is.”
Niels Wittich
Niels Wittich has since announced his departure, or at least, that’s what the FIA suggests. It’s highly unusual for a race director to step down in the middle of the season, but the organization announced this week that Wittich ‘wants to pursue other goals’. However, the 52-year-old German denies in the media that he left voluntarily. According to rumors, he was fired by the FIA on the spot. His replacement, the Portuguese Rui Marques, will take over during the upcoming GP in Las Vegas.
