Race director#List of race directors
In motorsport, the race director is 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:{{Cite web |date=13 November 2024 |title=F1 race director: Job explained and Rui Marques profile |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/formula1/articles/cdxyw4ygdw7o |access-date=11 January 2025 |website=BBC Sport |language=en-GB}}
- 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".{{Citation needed|date=March 2025}}
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Single seater racing
= IndyCar Series =
In American open-wheel racing, currently known as the IndyCar Series, the race director oversees race control, determines track conditions (including flags), and assists with penalties or other infractions.{{Cite web |title=Race Control |url=https://www.indycar.com/Fan-Info/INDYCAR-101/Understanding-The-Sport/Race-Control |access-date=17 January 2025 |website=IndyCar.com}} The current race director for the series is Kyle Novak, who has held the position since 2018.{{Cite web |title=INDYCAR names Novak as Verizon IndyCar Series race director |url=https://www.indycar.com/News/2018/01/01-05-INDYCAR-names-Novak-race-director |access-date=17 January 2025 |website=IndyCar.com}} Prior to Novak, the race director was Brian Barnhart, who held the position several times between 1997 and 2015.{{Cite web |last=Brown |first=Nathan |date=22 September 2022 |title=Arrow McLaren SP hires longtime IndyCar official Brian Barnhart after Taylor Kiel's exit |url=https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/motor/2022/09/22/indycar-arrow-mclaren-sp-hires-longtime-series-official-brian-barnhart-wake-taylor-kiel-exit/69512549007/ |access-date=17 January 2025 |website=The Indianapolis Star |language=en-US}} Beaux Barfield served as race director from 2012 through 2014.{{Cite web |date=5 September 2014 |title=Barfield leaves IndyCar for same role at IMSA |url=https://www.espn.com/racing/indycar/story/_/id/11471620/beaux-barfield-leaves-indycar-become-imsa-race-director |access-date=17 January 2025 |website=ESPN |language=en}}
= Formula E =
Marek Hanaczewski currently serves as the race director for Formula E. Hanaczewski replaced Scott Elkins, had previously served as Formula E's race director from the 2017–18 season{{Cite web |last=Kew |first=Matt |date=25 November 2021 |title=Formula E race director Elkins appointed in same role for DTM |url=https://www.motorsport.com/dtm/news/fe-and-extreme-e-race-director-elkins-appointed-in-same-role-for-dtm/6818922/ |access-date=17 January 2025 |website=Motorsport.com}} until his departure in 2025.{{Cite web |last=Smith |first=Sam |date=6 February 2025 |title=Major Formula E shake-up as long-serving race director steps down |url=https://www.the-race.com/formula-e/major-formula-e-shake-up-race-director-scot-elkins-leaving/ |access-date=6 May 2025 |website=The Race |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Boxall-Legge |first=Jake |date=6 February 2025 |title=Elkins to retire as Formula E race director after Miami round |url=https://www.motorsport.com/formula-e/news/elkins-to-retire-as-formula-e-race-director-after-miami-round/10693973/ |website=Motorsport.com}} Before Elkins, the position was previously held by Oliver Grodowski.{{Cite web |date=20 June 2016 |title=What Is A Race Director? - Formula E |url=https://www.motorsport.com/formula-e/video/what-is-a-race-director-formula-e-64526/77736/ |access-date=17 January 2025 |website=motorsport.com}}
Endurance racing
= World Endurance Championship =
Eduardo Freitas is the current race director for the FIA World Endurance Championship, and has held the position since the series' creation in 2012.{{Cite web |date=17 November 2016 |title=WEC - Interview with FIA Race Director Eduardo Freitas |url=https://www.fia.com/news/wec-interview-fia-race-director-eduardo-freitas |access-date=17 January 2025 |website=Federation Internationale de l'Automobile |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Tunnicliffe |first=David |date= 3 February 2020|title=Eduardo Freitas: The man in control |url=https://wec-magazin.com/eduardo-freitas-the-man-in-control/ |access-date=17 January 2025 |website=WEC-Magazin |language=en-GB}}
= IMSA SportsCar Championship =
Beaux Barfield has held the role of race director for the IMSA SportsCar Championship since the series' creation in 2014.{{Cite web |date=5 September 2014 |title=IMSA announces Beaux Barfield as new race director, along with other changes |url=https://www.autoweek.com/racing/more-racing/a1905076/imsa-announces-beaux-barfield-new-race-director-along-other-changes/ |access-date=17 January 2025 |website=Autoweek |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=5 September 2014 |title=Barfield leaves IndyCar for same role at IMSA |url=https://www.espn.com/racing/indycar/story/_/id/11471620/beaux-barfield-leaves-indycar-become-imsa-race-director |access-date=17 January 2025 |website=ESPN |language=en}}