Sky Sports F1 commentator D♍avid 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 week, the FIA announced the shock news that N⛦iels Wittich would step down as race director🥂 - a role which he held since 2022.

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

Wittich has been repla꧑ced by current F2/F3 race director Rui Marques.

Given his reaction to the news, Croft described the change as “♊crazy”.

“First aജnd foremost he hasn’t stepped down, he’s been sacked𝔉,” Croft told the . “He admitted that himself and said that to various journalists.

“The FIA ar🔜en’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 director. Rui Marques has done very well in F2 and F3. But he’s never been the race director ಌin F1.

“To do that before a street race before Vegas under the lights with all the possibilities of something that could go wrong. A race that calls for experience. A race that calls for a c✤alm head and a race that calls for someone t🅷hat isn’t doing the job for the first time, I find it 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 we🍒ekend to manage.

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

“I don’t kn🀅ow what’s happened between th⛄e FIA and Niels Wittich,” Croft 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 worri🃏es 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 sure he will do the best 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 s𒁃mooth weekend whe🐈re 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 director. The FIA have dispensed the services of their race director, their compliance officer is gone as well.”