Masi Eyes Shocking Return to F1 Amidst Ongoing Debates
Nov.29 - Michael Masi could make a shock return to Formula 1.
The Australian, 45, was ousted from his role as F1 race director after the highly controversial 2021 season finale, in which a contentious safety car decision preceded Max Verstappen's last-lap title defeat of Lewis Hamilton in Abu Dhabi.
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff is still furious about the episode all this time later, alluding to the saga ahead of the team's head-to-head for second in the constructors' championship with Ferrari in Abu Dhabi last weekend.
"With a proper race director, that should be fine," the Austrian quipped.
Masi's departure as race director came just before Mohammed Ben Sulayem was made FIA president, but F1's governing body has always stopped short of being overly critical of the official.
For instance, Ben Sulayem still refuses to apologise, with scores of Hamilton fans believing Masi's alleged foul robbed the Mercedes driver of his eighth title.
"I always apologise," the FIA chief now tells the Guardian newspaper, "but I cannot apologise for something which was done before my time.
"Ok, I will do the apology, but I will bring Michael Masi again. Do you think that is right?
"The poor guy is a person who has been attacked and abused. Michael Masi went through hell. And if I see there is an opportunity that the FIA needs, and Michael Masi is the right person, I will bring him."
Since losing his top F1 job, Masi has worked for the Supercars Commission and Karting Australia in his native country.
He has also admitted to seeking mental health support to cope with the fallout of the controversy.
"I even had people threatening to kill me," FIA president Ben Sulayem admits. "Because I had the power to change it.
"But I said to them 'Sorry, the World Cup of 1966, England against Germany, was that correct? Did they change it? No'. Did they give it to Germany? Nein."
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No, he isn't & he won't return simply because too much damage got done in his tenure for a return to be bearable, not to mention he's said himself that he won't return.
Besides, Wittich has been better anyway.
I have watched the 2021 Abu Dhabi GP on several occasions. Mercedes made several errors in strategy during that race, which had hindered Hamilton’s race. There was no cheating, Masi may have made a bad judgement call but name one sport where officiates haven’t made a questionable call at one time or another. The game, race goes on. Talking about an event 2 years after the event took place is self defeating. Belittling a man over something that happened 2 years ago is pretty pathetic. Why would he come back, no one needs that kind of childish behavior. In the world we live in, losing a race is not and should not be an earth shattering event.
Mercedes made their strategic choices based on known rules & without having any idea Masi might suddenly go against standard procedures, so hardly a strategic error, even the earlier during the VSC.
Well done Susan
The voice of reason
Max deserved to win that race and that WDC. Wolff and HAM diehard fans are just focusing on that race . Just for what HAM did to Max at Silverstone it was karma.
Together with Max being taken out by Bottas in another race meant that over the season Max deserved to win the WDC.
If it wasn't meant to be HAM would have won in 2022 and 2023 and Max would have floundered. If all that Wolff and Ham are focusing on is winning an 8th WDC for Ham because of 2021 that is pathetic.
And Wolff not properly congratulating Max on his records this year is sour grapes , mean , and petty.
Not a nice individual.
Look,Mercedes made one big mistake thinking they could hold track position,they found out very quickly how brilliant Max IS.it amazes me how a man in Toto’s position and intelligence keeps blaming Michael Masi’s decision and not considering his/their own. Get over it
It won't matter one bit if Massi comes back or not F1 & the FIA are doing a very good job of manipulating races & the rules without him!
Some people do post rubbish, even FIA said it was an error, LH was cheated out of what would have been a brilliant comeback late on in the season.
Massi changed F1 rules mid lap, end of.
Im gutted for Sir Lewis, he really deserved to win that race, Nurse , Nurse Im ready for my meds now , Im happy the longer the press keep this up , the more times itll eat into Lula and her Dad happy days, I love the Fia even if they did let the girl keep her nose ring, more wine please for the Mercedes table of the sour grapes vintage at the Fia awards ceremony
Poor losers personified
Need to buy more toys and dummies to throw out the pram
No Toto No Lucille
Daimler should take a hard look at its front line representation Not a good look
Fiaward
Like I said that last race was karma for what HAM did to Max at Silverstone. The stewards said so , that is a fact. HAM and Wolff celebrating lome they did at Silverstone , that last race was karma. The right result for the year.
Only rubbish is from youself
and other deluded HAM supporters.
Nothing any of you lot say and how often you say it changes the results or the history books. Max won the race and the WDC.
Well spoken Les
The arrogance of Mercedes and poor sportsmanship defines them