Formula 1 removes Michael Masi as race director over Abu Dhabi decision
Formula 1 announced that it has removed Michael Masi as race director after investigating decisions made during the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
F1's governing body the FIA has announced key changes to refereeing and race direction ahead of the 2022 season#F1 https://t.co/04mcImMI2w
— Formula 1 (@F1) February 17, 2022
The investigation concluded that Masi incorrectly applied safety car restart rules. Niels Wittich and Eduardo Freitas will alternate as race directors going forward.
The decision had lasting repercussions when determining the Formula 1 championship between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton. The heated rivalry between the two came down the last race and the points gained in Abu Dhabi were pivotal.
During the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Mercedes and Red Bull overwhelmed Masi with messages, so moving forward teams will no longer be able to send messages directly to the race director. A virtual race control room will also assist the race director in the future.
Before the news of Masi's departure, drivers Sebastian Vettel and Daniel Ricciardo both expressed that they thought Masi should keep his job.
Over at FanDuel Sportsbook, Lewis Hamilton is +125 and Max Verstappen is +200 to win the F1 Drivers Championship in 2022.
