Michael Masi: FIA may end spell as race director after Abu Dhabi controversy

Michael Masi
Race director Masi's decisions came under intense scrutiny after the season finale in Abu Dhabi

The head of single-seater says that Formula 1 could have a new race director in 2022.

The safety car rules were not followed correctly in the final race of the year.

Peter Bayer, the new head of F1, said that Michael did a great job. We told him that.

There is a chance that there could be a new race director.

The inquiry is being conducted by Bayer, who has held the role of the secretary general for motorsport for many years.

Masi didn't follow the rules over the handling of cars and over the timing of the restart at the race.

When the race was stopped for one final lap, Max Verstappen, on fresh tires, overtook Lewis Hamilton, on used tires, to win the title.

The result caused uproar because Masi appeared to over-ride the rules with regard to the operation of the safety car, having come under pressure from the bosses of the two title-contending teams.

Hamilton will not return to F1 until he sees the results of the inquiry by the FIA.

The new structure for race control is likely to involve splitting the responsibilities of Masi and a number of other people, as reported by Bayer on Thursday.

The race director is also the sports director, safety and track delegate, so we are looking at dividing their tasks.

That was simply too much. There are several people in these roles. The burden on the race director is reduced.

A restructuring of race control and a revision of the safety-car rules are being considered.

He pointed out that if neutralisation is necessary in the last two laps of the race, the lap counting ends and the laps are added at the end of the safety car phase. This could cause a fuel problem in F1, which is why it is being looked at more closely.

We asked the teams if their requirement not to finish a race under safety car was still relevant, to which they all agreed.

He said the race director could be supported by a mission control similar to the remote strategy groups the F1 teams operate over race weekends.

He said that the team bosses wouldn't be able to talk to the race director.

The team managers have to be able to ask questions.

We want to build a buffer with an employee who accepts these requests.

The race director will no longer be distracted in the future.

He was only in a position to advise on changes. He said he would submit his plans to the president. The proposal would be submitted to the World Council.

On the eve of the new season, that will happen. The teams will be presented with his plans at a meeting of the F1 Commission on February 14.

The World Council is a rubber-stamping process if the F1 Commission approves them.

What about the race result?

Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen
Lewis Hamilton (right) is still short of the eighth world title that would see him alone at the top of the all time standings

The stewards rejected Mercedes' protest against the result.

They gave notice of their intention to appeal against the decision, but decided against it after receiving assurances that the controversy would be taken seriously and action would be taken.

The result of the world championship would not have changed even if Mercedes had gone through with their appeal.

Had the Mercedes protest gone to the Court of Appeal, what would have happened?

I think the judges would have said that it was different in the regulations, so we could just void the result.

Max Verstappen would have been world champion even if it were canceled.

The situation was not perfect and we are working on it. It is also about respecting the race director.

My job is to look ahead, how can we improve things?