Masi sacked as Formula One race director

Michael Masi has been removed as the race director of Formula One after his role in the controversial final race of the 2021 season.

On Thursday Mohammed ben Sulayem, the new president of the FIA, the sport’s governing body, announced a series of changes to how F1 will be officiated this season and said that Masi will be “offered a new position within the FIA”.

The race director role will now be shared between Eduardo Freitas, the World Endurance Championship race director, and Niels Wittich, the former race director for the Germany-based Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters series, starting from the pre-season test in Barcelona next week.

Masi was in charge when Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen fought for the title in the final race of the season in Abu Dhabi in December. Hamilton had appeared to be on course for an eighth world title until a late crash triggered the entry of a safety car.

Masi went on to make two mistakes, over the procedure of unlapping lapped cars and the timing of calling in the safety car, that directly affected the outcome of the championship and led to Verstappen winning his maiden title.

Mercedes initially lodged an appeal but eventually decided not to take legal action. Behind the scenes, however, it is understood that they have been pushing for Masi’s removal, as have other teams.

The FIA immediately began an investigation into the events in Abu Dhabi, led by their new president, who presented his findings and proposed changes to the teams at the F1 Commission in London on Monday. F1 fans have called for Hamilton to get 'justice' and be handed last year's title 

Formula One fans have demanded 'justice' for Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes after race director Michael Masi was sacked on Thursday for his handling of last season's Abu Dhabi finale.

Under a whole host of changes by new FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem, Masi was removed from his role after he let Max Verstappen have a clear run on the dominant Hamilton before the final lap at Yas Marina via some safety car drama.

Masi allowed the lapped cars in between Verstappen and Hamilton to unlap themselves before the final lap, allowing the Red Bull driver to overtake the Briton on fresher tyres, with Mercedes calling foul play ever since.

The race director's dismissal was announced on Thursday after a meeting between Ben Sulayem, Masi, Mercedes and Red Bull on Monday, but it was announced that Verstappen's 2021 title victory will not be overturned in favour of Hamilton.