Apr.28 - Formula 1 is dangerously low on race directors ahead of next weekend's inaugural and highly anticipated first race on the streets of Miami.

With Michael Masi ousted over the 2021 championship finale debacle, his two replacements Eduardo Freitas and Niels Wittich have both now tested positive for covid.

L'Equipe said the rumour has blown "a small wind of panic" through Formula 1, as the pair cannot even travel to the United States until they test negative.

An FIA spokesman would not confirm the news to the Spanish newspaper El Mundo Deportivo, because divulging medical information about staff is not allowed "unless it is relevant to the development of an event".

That would imply that the sport's governing body is not worried that the problem could affect the race in Miami.

Race director assistant and F1 veteran Herbie Blash and Colin Haywood are being named as potential short-term replacements.

L'Equipe, however, said Blash and Haywood "do not have FIA race director certification", so the job could instead be passed to DTM race director Scott Elkins.


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16 F1 Fan comments on “Both F1 race directors cannot fly to Miami

  1. shroppyfly

    Sod them....., Race director assistant and F1 veteran Herbie Blash and Colin Haywood are being named as potential short-term replacements.

    Get Masi back , thatll liven everything up......

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  2. Jere Jyrälä

    They should have enough time for isolation completion unless they’d have to isolate for ten days, which would last until practice day. Otherwise, the options mentioned are viable & more likely ones than Masi.

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  3. ReallyOldRacer

    This is the funniest thing that I've read re F1 in a long time. Replace the race director position with a committee and this is what we get? LOL

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    • Donalf

      We want Masi back should never have got rid of him in the firs place all because sir Lulu "the weasel" said he had to go or I won't race anymore, what a c**k up.

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  4. smokey

    What an absolute farce! With all his experience and knowledge, why would Herbie Blash not be capable to be race director?
    Unless, of course, he has no wish to be the target of the harassment that is usually doled out to the race director by team principals and drivers, such as Sire Lulu and Max Versmashen!
    I think the analogy to this debacle is "The lunatics running the asylum"!

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  5. John B

    It looks like the FIA don't know their arse from their elbow

    Decisions made in haste and not thought through produce the kind of debacle we are experiencing at the moment. Piss poor work by the FIA. Bring back Massi who did a sterling job for 3yrs until Hamilton and Wolfe threatened the FIA into submission

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    • Jax

      Sorry Johnny B. Moron Masi has been decommissioned and put out to pasture so shall not return 😄.
      I'm guessing you're an Aussie.

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        • Jax

          Ok so no on the Aussie. Sir Lewis supporter...yes.
          So Vettel and Max are models of maturity? Who threw a temper tantrum and behaved like a childish brat on the podium during the race at the Jeddah GP last year? So much so so that his own race engineer had to say on radio after he purposely caused a collision with LH, and I quote, "you didn't need to do that Max" end quote. And Vettel's catalogue of tantrums when he was at RB and Ferrari are solid. LH silent mode strategy worked in getting Moron Masi fired; deservedly so. Well executed!
          Cut the hypocrisy you muppets. You just make your brains seem only good for emitting brain farts. 😂

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