Enough of the controversy, the FIA has removed Masi as race director! Who will replace him in this position?

Michael Masi will no longer serve as race director, the FIA announced its decision on Thursday 17 February. The reason for this is indeed the considerable controversy that arose during the 2021 season because of his actions. So who will replace him in this position?

We can remember, for example, the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, where Masi almost bargained with Christian Horner on the subject of potential penalties or reassignment of the position, and the highlight of all this for many experts and fans was the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and its conclusion.

It should be noted, even after the time that has passed since the Abu Dhabi Grand Final, there is a group of fans who have not been able to stomach the events of the last race of the season so far, whereupon they clearly demanded Masi’s sacking.

Yes, Masi has indeed been under a lot of pressure during the 2021 season, especially from Red Bull and Mercedes. But it is an indisputable fact that a race director simply must not put himself in that position.

Moreover, Masi gradually started to lose respect during the season, which also culminated in Abu Dhabi, where, almost at Horner’s insistence, he modified his decision regarding the safety car and the traditional procedure.

Another bizarre moment was when Mercedes boss Toto Wolff (in response to Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton’s accident at Silverstone) sent Masi a diagram that was supposed to show where the Formula One cars were supposed to be at the incriminating Turn 9.

Although by this act Wolff was clearly suggesting to Masi how he should actually decide, it was of no use to the German stable boss in the end – Hamilton received a ten-second penalty for causing the accident.

However, this is also one of the things that Masi simply shouldn’t have gotten away with. So it wasn’t just this that led the FIA organisation, led by its president, to decide to remove Masi as race director. He will remain with the FIA, but will be offered a different role.

The new directors will be Niels Wittich (DTM) and Eduardo Freitas (WEC, Le Mans), who will alternate in this role for the 2022 season, with Herbie Blash, who is Charlie Whiting’s former deputy, acting as an advisor.

In addition, teams will no longer be able to contact the race director during the race, and the FIA is also planning to modify the rules with regard to the deployment of the safety car.

Sources