The FIA has dismissed Michael Masi as Formula 1 race director this Thursday following the investigation into the controversial finale of the 2022 World Championship. The announcement was made by the new president of the governing body, Mohammed Ben Sulayem, via a written and a video press release. 

Sulayem also declared that the position of the deposed Australian boss will now be occupied by two people. Starting at the pre-season tests in Barcelona (February 23-25), the current World Endurance Championship (WEC) race director Eduardo Freitas, and the former German Touring Cars (DTM) race director, Niels Wittich, will alternate in the position. At the same time, Sulayem has announced the return to the F1 of former assistant race director to Charlie Whiting, Herbie Blash. 

 “Michael Masi, who accomplished a very challenging job for three years as Formula One race director following Charlie Whiting, will be offered a new position within the FIA” – confirmed Ben Sulayem. 

FIA President Mohammed @Ben_Sulayem opens the way for a new step forward in @F1 refereeing pic.twitter.com/Xh6mFgXeyb

— FIA (@fia) February 17, 2022

A new VAR system and the prohibition to communicate with the race director 

Along with Michael Masi’s dismissal, the FIA has announced a number of measures aimed at avoiding a repeat of the controversial 2021 finale, which is effectively what has led to the laying off of the Australian boss. There will be a new “Virtual Career Control Room” or VAR, similar to the one used in football to resolve controversial situations. 

The system, always in direct, real-time connection with the race director, will assist him in making decisions and applying the regulations. Ben Sulayem has confirmed that “the most modern technological tools” will be at the race director’s disposal. 

In addition, radio communications between the teams and the race director during the race, which until now were even broadcasted on television, will now be prohibited. This will free the race director of any pressure from the teams when he has to make any relevant decisions. In any case, “it will still be possible to ask the race director questions, following a well-defined and non-intrusive process” -reassured the FIA president. 

Review of unlapping rules 

There will also be a review of the unlapping procedures by which single-seaters recover the position lost during a safety car. It was precisely this situation that gave rise to Masi’s controversial ruling in Abu Dhabi 2021, as only some of the cars were asked to unlap in order to prevent that Grand Prix from finishing behind a safety car. 

That decision allowed Max Verstappen to get ahead of Lewis Hamilton after the second start that followed Nicholas Latifi’s accident. Ben Sulayem has declared that: 

“Unlapping procedures behind safety car will be reassessed by the F1 sporting advisory committee and presented to the next F1 commission prior to the start of the season”  

A suspicious dismissal 

In any case, the decision to drop Massi is loaded with controversy and regarded with suspicion. Some have interpreted it as a clear concession from the FIA to  Mercedes was and Lewis Hamilton for the Briton to remain competing in F1. 

The rumour actually began to circulate after Wolff did not follow through with his threat to take the resolution of the Abu Dhabi race – where Hamilton lost his eighth crown on the last lap – to court. 

Masi’s decision-making inconsistencies have been present right from the start of the 2021 championship, some of which have, by the way, benefited Hamilton and Verstappen. 

Images of Michael Masi: FIA.