FI: Masi received death threats

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has revealed Michael Masi received death threats from Formula 1 fans after the 2021 Abu Dhabi GP.

Masi's was removed as F1's race director following the FIA's investigation into the controversial finale and has been replaced by Eduardo Freitas and Niels Wittich.

"The lack of support that was shown to Michael was disappointing, especially at a time when mental health is so prevalent," Horner told the press

"To hear that his family and he received death threats is not right.

"An awful lot of pressure was put on the FIA to deal with him. I made it clear in last week's meeting in London that there should have been more support for him. I was disappointed that nobody shared that opinion.

"I have had an exchange with Michael to wish him well. But the whole experience was very, very tough for him."

Max Verstappen, who benefitted from Masi's controversial safety car restart procedure in Abu Dhabi, has stated Masi was thrown under the bus.

"That F1 allowed that team members could talk to him while making decisions is very wrong," added Verstappen. "It needed to be Michael making decisions on his own without people screaming in his ear."

"The people who sacked him allowed that in the first place. For me [that] is unacceptable and now to sack him I find it really incredible.

"I feel very sorry for Michael because he was very capable and a good race director.

"I have nothing against the new race directors. They are also very capable and good but I felt sad for Michael and I sent him a text."