Masi axed as Formula 1’s Race Director, new structure implemented

The FIA has axed Michael Masi from the role of Formula 1’s Race Director in the wake of the controversial conclusion to the 2021 season.

Masi’s contentious decisions during the season-deciding race at Yas Marina courted widespread controversy, resulting in a last lap in which Max Verstappen passed Lewis Hamilton for the victory and the title.

An analysis was launched by outgoing FIA President Jean Todt, and picked up by successor Mohammed Ben Sulayem, and the decisions were announced on Thursday.

The report itself was not made public.

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Ben Sulayem announced that after three years in the role Masi has been stood down as Race Director.

He will be offered another position within the FIA.

Instead the role of Race Director will be shared between Eduardo Freitas and Niels Wittich.

Freitas has held the same role in the World Endurance Championship while Wittich has been in the position in DTM.

In addition they will be supported by Herbie Blash, who was the long-time deputy to Charlie Whiting, whose untimely death in 2019 opened the role of Race Director.

A virtual Race Control, similar to how VAR works in football, will be implemented at the FIA’s base.

The revised structure received unanimous support from various bodies within Formula 1.

Direct radio communications during the race, broadcast live, will be removed in order to protect the Race Director from any pressure.

It was clarified that it will remain possible to ask questions to the Race Director but this will be done in a ‘well-defined’ and non-intrusive process’.

In addition the unlapping procedures behind the Safety Car will be reassessed by Formula 1’s Sporting Advisory Committee and presented to the next F1 Commission before the start of the season.