Michael Masi has been eliminated as F1 race director following final yr’s controversial Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, with FIA president Mohammed ben Sulayem saying a bunch of adjustments.
The Australian’s axing has successfully confirmed that he did not accurately apply the principles throughout the restart within the ultimate lap of final season’s ultimate race, when Max Verstappen – on recent tyres – overtook Lewis Hamilton to win the title.
Masi has now been changed within the position by Eduardo Freitas and Niels Wittich, who will share the job going ahead and act as race director in alternating Grand Prix.
Regardless of being stood down as F1 race director, Masi has been ‘provided a brand new place throughout the FIA’ with Ben Sulayem acknowledging the ‘very difficult job’ he has carried out over the past three years.
In certainly one of 4 different key adjustments, the race administrators will now be assisted in all decision-making processes by the Digital Race Management Room, whereas Herbie Blash has additionally been introduced in as a everlasting senior advisor.
The VRCR will successfully act like VAR does in soccer and provide real-time assist to the race director, offering assistance on easy methods to apply the sporting laws, with the change suggesting Masi had altered the restart guidelines on the fly in Abu Dhabi.
To additional forestall a state of affairs like that arising once more, the unlapping procedures behind the protection automobile will likely be reassessed by the F1 Sporting Advisory Committee.
The brand new procedures will likely be introduced to the subsequent F1 Fee previous to the beginning of the brand new season, whereas a full report on the failing in Abu Dhabi will likely be printed on the season-opening race in Bahrain on 19 March.
In a fifth and ultimate key change, direct radio communications between the race director and groups throughout the Grand Prix will not be broadcast on TV.
This choice has been made to ‘defend the race director from any strain and permit him to take choices peacefully’ after staff rules Christian Horner and Toto Wolff have been each criticised for tyring to affect the restart in Abu Dhabi.
It can nonetheless be doable for groups to speak with the race director, however they may now have to take action in accordance with a ‘well-defined and non-intrusive course of’.
On the adjustments, Ben Sulayem added: ‘With this plan, FIA opens the best way for a brand new step ahead in Method 1 refereeing. With out the referees, there isn't any sport. Respect and assist of the referees is within the essence of the FIA.
‘That's the reason these structural adjustments are essential in a context of sturdy improvement and the legit expectations of drivers, groups, producers, organizers, and naturally, the followers.’
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