Race director is Formula One responsible for overseeing all operations relating to competitive racing. The position involves promoting safety for events and manages the response to incidents that occur during races.
Roles[]
They are responsible for the regular and safety processes of the race weekend, including:
- Deploying the safety car
- Managing the marshals around the circuit
- Deciding which flags are shown to drivers at different points of the circuit
- Monitoring track limits
- Pressing the button which makes the lights on the grid go out to signal the start of the Grand Prix
Formula One[]
In Formula One, race director is employed by the FIA. A permanent Formula One race director was established in 1980. Before this period, the race director was not fixed, and they were appointed for every Formula One race. The role was previously called the "Formula One starter".
For the 2025 season, Rui Marques serves as the race director and Claire Dubbelman serves as the deputy race director.
| Name (Birth–Death) |
Term | Notes |
|---|---|---|
 Roland Bruynseraede(born 1939) |
1988–1995 | First individual to hold the position of race director in a full time capacity. |
 Roger Lane-Nott(born 1945) |
1996 | |
| Charlie Whiting (1952–2019) |
1997–2019 | Expected to serve as race director in 2019, he died three days prior to the start of the season. Whiting was the longest-serving race director in Formula One history |
 Michael Masi(born 1978) |
2019–2021 | |
 Eduardo Freitas(born 1961) |
2022 | Wittich and Freitas held the position on a rotating basis in 2022.
Wittich departed from his position prior to the 2024 Las Vegas Grand Prix. |
 Niels Wittich(born 1972) |
2022–2024 | |
| Rui Marques (born 1972) |
2024–present | Assumed the role in 2024 starting at the 2024 Las Vegas Grand Prix. |