Eduardo Freitas

Eduardo Freitas (born October 27, 1961) is a Portuguese motorsports official and race director. Freitas serves as the race director for the FIA World Endurance Championship. He served as the race director for Formula One in 2022 alongside Niels Wittich. Freitas has also worked for several other series, such as the European Le Mans Series and the Asian Le Mans Series.

Early life Freitas was born on October 27, 1961,

Career

Early career Similar to former Formula One race director Charlie Whiting, Freitas then began his motorsport career, when a friend invited him to work as a karting mechanic during the World Karting Championship in Estoril, 1979.

The Portuguese then rose through the ranks from track marshal to race director in karting.

During his work as track secretary at the Estoril circuit in 2002, he was asked to lead the FIA GT and ETCC Championship for a season, a role he retained until the end of 2009.

After that, the FIA promoted Freitas to the FIA GT1 global championship, and in 2012, he was named race director for the WEC – World Endurance Championship. including serving as race director for the FIA WEC, and the Le Mans 24 Hours Series, the ELMS – European Le Mans Series and the Asian Le Mans Series for 20 years.

Formula One

In Formula One Freitas worked alongside both former Formula One race directors Michael Masi and his predecessor Charlie Whiting in FIA conferences and race director meetings at the governing body.

Following the controversial ending of the 2021 Formula One Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, a petition was started by Formula One fans to appoint Freitas as new race director. Freitas and Niels Wittich replaced him, splitting the role as race directors, with Herbie Blash acting as their "Permanent Senior Advisor".

At the 2022 Japanese Grand Prix, a race directed by Freitas, there was a great controversy in which a recovery vehicle went out on the track to pick up Carlos Sainz's car - who had had an accident - in wet conditions and without all the drivers regrouped. Despite the fact that the FOM did not show these images live, they were leaked on social networks, and several drivers spoke out against the action of the race director. Following the event, the FIA announced an investigation into what happened at the Grand Prix. Finally, on the weekend of the United States Grand Prix, the FIA admitted the mistakes made in Japan and announced that Eduardo Freitas would not be the race director again in 2022, leaving the position solely to Niels Wittich. Freitas had served as race director at 8 Grands Prix until then.