In a statement issued by the FIA, F1’s governing body said Wittich had left the role "to pursue new opportunities.”

Wittich has served as F1 race director since 2022, when he replaced Michael Masi after the highly contentious season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in 2021, where Max Verstappen won the championship on the last lap by overtaking Lewis Hamilton after a controversial safety car restart.

Formula 1 race director Niels Wittich has stepped down in a surprise move with three races to go and the title yet to be decided.

The struggling Alpine Formula 1 team will use engines and gearboxes from Mercedes starting in 2026 after parent company Renault cuts its in-house F1 engine program.

Renault's Alpine Formula One team will use Mercedes engines and gearboxes from the sport's new era starting in 2026, they announced on Tuesday. Alpine said in a statement the power unit agreement would run until at least 2030.

Alpine will run Mercedes engines from the 2026 season, the Formula 1 team confirmed on Tuesday. The new deal has been widely expected since Alpine, Renault's F1 team, announced the end of its own engine programme in France.