Christian Horner criticises Michael Masi’s ‘harsh’ Formula 1 sacking by FIA

F1 Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi - Previews
Michael Masi has been eliminated as FIA race director for Method 1. (Photograph by Bryn Lennon/Getty Photos)

Crimson Bull group principal Christian Horner has criticised the FIA’s choice to take away Michael Masi as race director for Method 1.

The Australian was ousted from the function final week after new FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem chaired a gathering of the F1 Fee in London, and will probably be changed by a brand new race management group with an elevated employees and sources.

Eduardo Freitas and Niels Wittich are being introduced throughout to F1 from their race director roles within the World Endurance Championship and DTM sequence respectively, and can alternate within the function on a race-by-race foundation. The FIA can be introducing a brand new digital race management centre that Ben Sulayem says will serve an identical function because the VAR system in soccer.

Masi will probably be provided a brand new function with the FIA, Ben Sulayem added, however his removing is to all intents and functions a sacking and an admission by the governing physique that his decision-making within the controversial operating of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix was deeply flawed.

An unprecedented interpretation of the protection automotive guidelines by Masi rendered very long time race chief Lewis Hamilton a sitting duck with one lap of racing remaining, and basically gifted the title to Max Verstappen and dictated the end result of some of the intensely contested seasons within the 70-year historical past of Method 1.

Horner, although, says Masi’s sacking is merciless and that meagre race management sources had been partly guilty.

‘It’s a troublesome one,” Horner informed TalkSport. ‘It’s the FIA’s enterprise. I feel it's harsh, I feel he was in a really troublesome place final yr. We felt lots of the selections went in opposition to us. If you take a look at what he has at his disposal by way of useful resource, in comparison with what the groups have, it’s such an enormous distinction.

Mercedes protested the race lead to Abu Dhabi and solely agreed to withdraw a possible attraction to the Court docket of Arbitration for Sport as soon as the FIA agreed to conduct a ‘detailed evaluation’ into the race at Yas Marina. Crew principal Toto Wolff stated he and Hamilton had been ‘disillusioned’ with the game within the aftermath and Hamilton’s persevering with participation within the sport was believed to partially be primarily based on the outcomes of the FIA’s investiagtion.

Wolff was pictured smiling when leaving the F1 fee assembly final Monday, whereas Hamilton’s return for 2022 was solely confirmed by the group after the summit had taken place. Horner believes that Masi’s removing is partly right down to strain positioned on the FIA to sack him.

‘I simply suppose there was a lot strain placed on the removing of Michael and that’s not proper,’ he stated. ‘That’s my private feeling. The underside line was that tactically we obtained it proper. Max delivered the transfer and have become the world champion.’

The primary pre-season shakedown of 2022 begins in Barcelona on 23 February, earlier than the season itself begins with the Bahrain Grand Prix on the weekend of 18 March.

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