Michael Masi is said to be on the verge of his first job since his disastrous handling of the final race of the 2021 Formula One Championship. Former Formula 1 race director Michael Masi lost his job after the controversial end to the 2021 season between title rivals Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen.
The Australian’s role in the chaotic outcome between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton, which saw the former win his first world title, has led many to call for his dismissal. The FIA responded after much lobbying from Mercedes, as the former race director was removed from his position in February this year.
Six months later, it seems Masi is ready to make a comeback, as News Corp reports that the former FIA employee is in line to replace Neil Crompton as V8 Supercars president.
The news comes a month after Masi confirmed his departure from the FIA, following his dismissal earlier this year. Following the controversy surrounding the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the Australian recently revealed that he had received death threats following the race.
Speaking to News Corp, he said:
“There were dark days. And without a doubt, I felt like the most hated man in the world. I got death threats. People were saying they were going to come after me and my family.”
He continued: “They were shocking. Racist, abusive, vile, they called me names. And they didn’t stop. Not only on my Facebook but also on my LinkedIn, which is supposed to be a professional platform for business. It was the same kind of abuse.”
The race director compromised after allowing a number of late cars between leader Hamilton and second-placed Verstappen to overtake the safety car in the closing stages of the 2021 finale having followed the agreement between teams to finish the race under green flag conditions, bending the established rules to do so.
That left the two fierce rivals playing out the one-lap sprint to decide the title, and it was the Dutchman who won despite spending the majority of the race behind the seven-time world champion’s pace.
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Masi wasn’t actually sacked. It was reported at the time that he stepped down. Later it was reported that he left, that was to take a closer look at the role he has now accepted.
Good luck to him!
Good fuck to him. He made FIA racing his fucking toy. He tarnished FIA Image but… FIA seems like it.. lousy organisation
“The FIA responded after much lobbying from MERCEDES, as the former race director was removed from his position in February this year”.
This is why F1 racing has turned political much like everything else in the world. Did we see or read what regulation Masi actually broke MERCEDES (toto)? Since when does a team call the shots? That’s FIA responsibilities. Did Masi have a hearing? What was his reason(s) for his actions?
So the Team that has the most power of money runs the show like Ferrari did for years during the MSC era.
What you say is one of the ways of looking at things, but in my opinion the correct thing would be that no team would have to lobby for the dismissal of an employee who breaks the rules without any justification. What was the biggest mistake breaking the rules or lobbing? and lobbing is a practice inherent to only one team? of course not, anyone who knows this sport knows that is not the case, and we don’t even have to go far this year Alfa Romeo was harmed in the matter of weight by some teams lobbing RBR Mercedez Ferrari.
There is absolutely no justification for sending someone death threats or using threatening violent behaviour no matter how angry upset or aggrieved you feel resulting a perverse miscarriage of justice.but my overriding concern regarding masi is the fact that he never took ownership or responsibility for what was a monumental error of judgement he made choosing to collude with red bull and handing them the title in acrimonious circumstances he also lacked the decency honesty and integrity to put his hands up and apologise because ultimately his decision to break the rules created a situation that didn’t have to happen.this isn’t about max or Lewis because it would take a fool to say max verstappen wasn’t a deserved champion from his results during that season.but similarly Lewis Hamilton didn’t deserve to lose the race and championship in that fashion.if masi had shown some humility and recognised that his unprecedented unprofessionalism and favouritism created this bad blood,after the initial anger most level headed people would have said he’s been a man apologised acknowledged his wrong doing this could all have ended differently in regards to the nastiness ugliness bitterness and hatred aimed at masi and especially his family who were blameless and undeserving of such harsh vitriol.
He took no responsibility because there was no reason to. There was NO monumental error. Masi handled a situation where he was stuck between conflicting rules. On one hand the rulebook that stated (though not specific enough ánd with options for the racedirector to decide differently) how this situation must be handled. And on the other hand, the explicit and generally agreed demand of the teams to NOT end a race (not to mention a championship!) under a yellow flag.
The alternative he came up with was brilliant!
If Masi or his family was actually hurt or murdered who has blood on their hands for creating the situation toto and MERCEDES?
This is yet a further disgrace and an insult to Lewis. I like many others will still take it that Lewis is an 8 times world champion. Verstappen if he is a true sports man should at least acknowledge this and taken it through the courts.
Verstappen must go to court???
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Hint: It is just “Supercars” now, not “V8 Supercars”