The accusation of complicity between Micheal Masi and Red Bull by Toto Wolff are pretty serious accusations, and they reflect a situation that has clearly not yet been resolved on the Mercedes side.
And of course, it’s only logical, with Lewis Hamilton having lost the title in a race he was supposed to win. However, last Sunday on Sky Sports, Toto Wolff went quite far, accusing Jonathan Wheatley (Red Bull) of having “turned” Michaël Masi, the ex-Formula 1 race director. The accusation was made under the guise of a “bromance”, or a close friendship between the two men.
Formula 1: Abu Dhabi will leave its mark in the medium term…
“Jonathan Wheatley has done his job. He turned Michael Masi around as race director, not just in Abu Dhabi but before, and Max probably owes him a lot,” said Toto Wolff.
At the same time, he said that he would never again speak to the race director in question, who is now sidelined as a result of the investigation by the sporting authorities into the contentious Abu Dhabi Formula One Grand Prix.
Wolff, who uses the term “bromance” to describe the relationship between the two men, clearly implies that Masi has lost all objectivity because of his friendship with the man in charge of communications with Red Bull’s Race Direction.
This follows on from Lewis Hamilton’s comments that there was ‘cronyism’ between some drivers and the Race Director. What is the reality of this?
It’s difficult to judge without concrete proof. And then, in such a microcosm, it’s difficult to hinder certain people from meeting and even sympathising. We shall see whether or not these serious accusations will be followed by measures to put an end to them, if they are proven.
What is clear, however, is if Red Bull is complicit in such things, Wolff and Mercedes are very much calling the kettle black.
Actually… what Wolf is doing is trying to change the narrative. If he really thought his accusations hold any truth, he would fight tooth and nail in every court he could find.
But he does not. Why?
Because he knows he has no case. So, as bad loosers always do… Play the victim. Make opponents black in the media. Spread lies and incomplete truths and keep repeating them. Try to create sympathy. Turn the story in your favor.
Wolf’s great idol is certainly the former US president Trump, who excells in this strategy.
Here you are again Duckey defending the undefendable, don’t you have a day job or is this it? I happen to know for a fact from people I know in F1 that there were two reasons why Toto dropped a case he was sure he could win. Firstly, he was advised that if he won the case they would just invalidate Abu Dhabi meaning Max would still retain the title as he won one more race. Secondly, the FIA put a lot of pressure on Mercedes to accept the result for the good of F1 as it’s credibility was in the toilet and they needed to show a united front which is something they did to all teams.
Of course there was a case, only someone with Orange tinted glasses could not see what happened in Abu Dhabi, it shamed F1 and turned it into WWE and any decent racing fan would be appalled by it. Unfortunately, max fans would rather ignore rules and facts just as long as Max is champion, well he may be to you but the rest of use only see him for the paper champion he is. You want to win a title Max, then earn it properly without help from the FIA, you can parade around ignoring all the facts but to all racing fans you are only champion because Masi made it so.
I’m not defending anything. Just explaing Wolf’s behaviour. That said… you, as a mass commenter on this site, are the last one to question day-jobs
I’m happily retired Duckey remember, so I have time on my hands and as much as my wife hates it I enjoy jumping in with my two pennies worth.
Toto has every reason to say what he does, has any one of you heard the conversation between Masi and Wheatley that was leaked? It looked strongly like Masi was doing what Red Bull wanted and only benefitting Red Bull and it stinks, no wonder they tried to hide it. Horner makes me laugh by going on about lets move on, of course he would say that as it has his dirty prints all over it. Max is champion and cannot change that but how he became champion will always have a very bad smell about it and most racing fans and some drivers don’t take it seriously. If Max wants to be a champion in his own right he has to win it without any help as Lewis has done seven times.
I’m happily retired Duckey remember, so I have time on my hands ….
Think he got you there, Duckey
There is another, rather more significant reason that Mercedes dropped the case. The ONLY court that the case would be heard, is an FIA court, and so bringing a case against the FIA, to the FIA court, would have bombed before the coffee had started to get cold
” he has to win it without any help as Lewis has done seven times.”
With a superior car tuned to his needs only? You just made a comment so ridiculous, it needs to be pinned to the front page
Really, the lame superior car excuse that only people who know nothing abut racing use!! Firstly like in any other sport, footballers in the best teams etc.. the best drivers drive the fastest cars which has been the same for decades. Schumacher drove the fastest car for years but still had to cheat to win. Secondly, in F1 the difference between the fastest car and the others in the top tier are minimal which is why they need the best drivers. Bottas is a fine driver and made to look ordinary by Lewis which Bottas himself would confirm. Also when Lewis was younger and teamed with Alsonso an ex world champion he made him look ordinary too which is why Alsonso hates him. F1 greats like Jackie Stewart all say Lewis is the GOAT and they know a bit more than an armchair racer like you. People like you should learn a bit more about the sport before putting their size fives in their mouth.
” Secondly, in F1 the difference between the fastest car and the others in the top tier are minimal”
Steve please stop, you’re digging a hole so deep it’s embarrassing. That you call yourself a racer after making comments like that is bewildering. Or was it go-karts?
Let’s leave your ever-growing fanboyism at the door and discuss with objectivity. Have a look here: https://newatlas.com/computer-modelled-top-50-f1-drivers-of-all-time/43147/
I’m so fed up with dealing with morons like you and why do you have to keep including my comments, I do remember what I wrote. Firstly, I have over forty years in racing from 100NAT karts, single seaters and then Touring Cars including TVR’s where I raced against the likes of Nigel Mansell. I have many friends from my racing days including ex F1 drivers and many of those consider Lewis the GOAT.
That article you sent me was ridiculous beyond words, a Top 50 based on a computer algorithm really! What people remember is records and achievements and Lewis has them all, the only record he hasn’t broken was taken from him in Abu Dhabi when Masi succumbed to Horner’s bullying and made the worst decision in F1 ever. You armchair racers make me laugh, as an ex racer I would read that article and put it down to rubbish it is but you actually believe it, that is just sad. When I get together with my racing mates I’ll tell them about it, we can all do with a laugh and Vettel and Alonso better than Hamilton, really! Lewis destroyed Alonso when they were team mates which is why he hates him so much and Vettel would be one of the first to admit that Lewis is far better than he. I’ve actually driven an F1 car, have you, I severely doubt it? You need to drive very fast to get it to behave so you need to know what you are doing, I doubt you would make it beyond the first corner and yet you tell me I’m digging a big hole! Stick to racing on a PlayStation and leave the real racing to people that actually know about it.
Lastly, I’m not a Hamilton fan as I’ve said many times, I’m a racing fan, I admire his talent greatly. He can stick up for himself but when I see posts from people that have no idea what they are talking about I defend it as any true racing fan would.
Wolff keeps framing the story his way as he did the complete 2021 season to protect the Mercedes interest.
He may say that he wants competition, but when push comes to shove he wants none, because when he gets competition, he is constantly turning the story around in his favour. Just as he is doing with the Andretti application now. More competition? No thank you!
Agree!
There is no story to turn around, Toto wanted to go to court but was told even if he won the case as was expected given the overwhelming evidence, all that would happen was that Abu Dhabi would be voided and Max would still be champion by winning one more race. It still stinks and the conversation between Wheatley and Masi which was leaked, where Wheatley said we need a final green lap and Masi just said understood made it look strongly like he was on Red Bulls payroll and that decision he made only suited one team, Red Bull who from losing the race big style and Horner saying ‘we need a miracle’ suddenly won it on the final lap, that’s not racing it’s WWF.
Incorrect – Massively
Wolf has NEVER said that he doesn’t want competition. Far from it… he has ALWAYS said he wants competition. You are mistaking what you think he said, with what he actually siad, which is FAIRNESS in competition
Read closely. Gerry does not state that wolf SAIS he does not want conpetition. It’s his actions and comments that imply he does not want more conpetition. And it cant be denied. His rection on the announcement of Andretti, could be interpreted as a covert way of saying ‘dont do it’.
Fine detail aside, my point about fairness stands, irrespective of anyone’s perspective, team or driver loyalty. Since that fateful moment, all he and anyone from the team has stated is that they want fairness