Off the road for Michael Masi!
The 44-year-old Australian was dismissed on Thursday from his position as race director in Formula 1 by the International Automobile Federation (FIA).
He had been in office since the start of the 2019 season when he was taken over at the last minute from Charlie Whiting, who died suddenly.
“Michael Masi, who has accomplished a complex task for three seasons, will be offered new attributions within the FIA, announced Mohammed Ben Sulayem, the new president of the FIA via a press release.
Without referees there is no sport and without respect for referees there is no sport either.
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LAP 54/58
Huge drama as Nicholas Latifi goes into the barriers - he reports that he is ok
But the Safety Car comes out and Max Verstappen immediately goes into the pits for some fresh tires
We *could* have a final lap shootout here.. WOW#AbuDhabiGP 🇦🇪 #F1 pic.twitter.com/j9uUZxGPaW
— Formula 1 (@F1) December 12, 2021
A decision expected by many and which follows the decisions - more than controversial - of Masi during the Grand Prix in Abu Dhabi last season, the last of the season and especially that of the coronation of the Dutchman Max Verstappen at the expense of the Briton Lewis Hamilton.
During this GP, Hamilton was still leading the race and was heading towards an eighth record crown, when the accident at the back of the pack for Canadian Nicholas Latifi and the arrival of the safety car upset everything five laps from the end.
After allowing the late cars, sandwiched between rivals Hamilton and Verstappen, to overtake the leader to get back on track, Masi restarted the race for just one lap.
Verstappen, who had stopped to change his tyres, unlike Hamilton who feared losing his place, then found himself just behind the Briton, in a strong position to overtake him.
What he did not hesitate to do to be crowned, at 24 years old.
Hamilton had then denounced this decision contrary to the regulations and had considered that the race had been "manipulated".
The decision to dismiss Masi should make it possible to calm relations between the German manufacturer and its seven-time world champion, who had cast doubt on his future for a few weeks, and the FIA.
To succeed him, the International Automobile Federation has chosen safety with the appointment of Eduardo Freitas, twenty years of experience in the same position in Endurance.
“Niels Wittich and Eduardo Freitas will alternately act as race director, assisted by Herbie Blash as permanent senior adviser,” Mohammed Ben Sulayem said in a video, adding that Masi would be offered another position with the Federation. .
The FIA boss also announced that a “virtual racing control room will be created.
Like the video assistance referee (VAR) in football”.
“She will be positioned in one of the FIA offices outside the circuit, in real-time liaison with the race director, she will help to apply the sporting regulations, he specified.
Direct radio communications during the race (
Editor's note: between the race director and the team managers
), currently broadcast live by television, will be suppressed in order to protect the race director from any pressure.
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