As part of the latest effort to enhance race operations at Formula 1 events, the FIA has completed the first phase of its new Race Direction Development Programme (RDDP) debriefing.
 
The RDDP was instigated by the FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem with the aim of streamlining the Race Direction operation – and laying the groundwork for the development of future Race Directors and officials.
 
The objectives of the programme are to quantify the performance of Race Direction and Stewarding, create a culture of critical reflection and constant improvement and provide analysis and feedback to identify areas for support and development.
 
The RDDP debriefed with officials who were present at recent grands prix utilizing race footage and event data. The debriefing and evaluation focused on highlighting positive aspects of the Race Direction team’s performance, identifying areas for improvement and the requirement for additional technical support. The debriefing was informed by data and analysis from the FIA Remote Operations Centre (ROC) in Geneva.
 
Commenting, the FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem, said: “The Race Direction Development Programme is designed to improve our Race Direction operations as part of our ongoing efforts to bring rigour and best practice to the governance of the sport. It also builds on the implementation of the ROC to support our race operations. The programme will also help us identify emerging talent so we can grow our pool of Race Directors, Stewards and officials for the future.”
 
The RDDP has taken learnings of refereeing procedures used by other international sports governing bodies including football and rugby. Discussions have taken place between the FIA and representatives of those sports.
 
That collaboration will be extended during a visit by members of the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) who provide the match officials to the Premier League, English Football League and FA Women’s Super League, to this weekend’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. They are particularly interested in seeing the technology used in FIA Race Control and Operations with a view to the ongoing development of football’s Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system.
 
The RDDP will also form part of a Race Director and Stewards development and training pathway plan attracting candidates which more closely reflect the diverse geographic spread of FIA membership. It is scheduled for roll out across all FIA Championships in the future.