Masi could be replaced as FIA race director after F1 finale controversy

Bayer is leading the investigation into the controversial ending to last season ꧋which saw Max Verstappen beat Lewis Hamilton to the drivers’ championship in controversial circumstances.
The future of the FIA race director Masi is still unclear after he was heavily criticised for not following the rules a꧑t the Safety Car restart in the season-endi💜ng Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
In quotes reported by the , Bayer said: “Michael did a super job in man🍷y ways. We told him that.ꩵ But also that there is a possibility there could be a new race director.
𝔍“[W🌱e are looking at] dividing the various tasks of the race director, who is also sports director, safety and track delegate.
“That was simply too much. These roles are d🥂ivided between several people. This reduces the burden on the race director.”
Bayer revealed that the rules surrounding the Safety Car are🗹 being looked at, citing the example of NASCAR.
“If neutralisation is necessary in the last two laps of the race, the lap counting ends and the laps are added at the end of the safety car phase,” he explainꩵed. “This could cause a fuel problem in F1, which is why it is being looked at more closely.
We als💮o asked 𒀰the teams if their requirement not to finish a race under safety car was still relevant, to which they all agreed.”
He also confirmed tꦯhat team personnel are no longer allowed to communicate with the race director.
“The team managers will still be able to - they hﷺave to be able to ask questions,” he added. “We want to build in a buffer with an employee who accepts these requests.
“In the future, t൲he race director will be able to concentrate on his task and will no longer be distracted.”

With a sharp eye for F1’s꧙ controversies and storylines, Connor is the he🗹artbeat of our unbiased reporting.