Michael Masi gets fired/replaced?

I think when the Race Director is allowed to subjectively decide rules of governance by the seat of his pants, it introduces a lot of chaos into the sport. With Charlie Whiting, you may not have always agreed with his decisions, but he was fairly consistent (e.g. Hamilton DQ at Spa after not properly giving the lead back to Raikkonen). When I saw the FIA use article 15.3 to support Messy's decision yesterday, they basically said, 'Messy can create whatever ruling he sees fit for the situation'. That's a troubling precedent and will lead to a lot of problems for the sport. More than a few drivers not named Lewis had a 'wtf' response to his altering of the Safety Car procedures yesterday.

A sport like Formula 1 can't afford to have an emo guy making decisions. Know the rules, adjudicate based on policy, precedent and fair practice. Stop listening to team principles, who only seek the best possible outcome for themselves. Even going back to the lap 1 incident, the fact that it wasn't even investigated was a farce. While Max did make a double move with his steering wheel, it seemed like an aggressive-but-legal pass to me. Yes, he late-braked, but it wasn't quite the "dive bomb" that's been kicked around.

Subjective, inconsistent rulings damages the sport in the ways that you say. If Liberty is behind the way this is working out, their wins will be short-termed. This season long circus of Messy, Wolf and Horner was just a foul display. That needs to be cleaned up pronto

 

Driver's comments:

Ricciardo said. “So in my head I thought ‘that seems okay and I guess fair because Lewis had such a lead and Max has newer tyres – and this way he has to cut through a few cars if they’re going to restart the race’.”

According to Ricciardo it was fair because Lewis had a big lead before the SC, and Max now had better tires. Sorry, it doesn't work that way.

Alonso said - “When the Safety Car was out, I thought that we were able to overtake quickly, because normally [this] is what happens. You see the green light of the Safety Car immediately, and then you are un-lapping yourself until they remove the car,”

Vettel complained the decision to let the lapped cars pass the Safety Car did not happen sooner, leaving those who were waved by too little time to catch up. “They should’ve let us pass right away, like other times,”

so Alonso and Vettel question why SC procedures to let lapped cars go by sooner were not followed.

 

^^^
It's a good and pertinent question...

 

It was a timing issue with f1 teams and fia having decided before the race to try and finish under racing conditions.

had they let it all as it was, Lewis would be guaranteed champion. If they cleared the cars max still had to overtake Lewis and work for it. Red Bull made a strategic call Mercedes’ did not.
Whatever the fia did; they’d be the losers

 

I agree. What I don't understand, and this seems to be the opinion of Alonso and Vettel, is why the FIA did not release the lapped cars earlier. This is standard practice and apparently there was time to do so. If the typical SC procedure is followed, all the lapped cars are let through and probably still have enough time to catch the pack before they go back green. Even if they don't, it's not a requirement. Had this happened there would be no controversy.

 

Catch the pack? Did the lapped cars have to actually go ahead of Lewis and all the way around? I figured they just reshuffled as-is and given credit for a lap rather than actually passing and having to play catch-up.

 

Ok, but what actually happened then? When the 5 cars got to "unlap" did they actually go around the course and pass Lewis and the SC or just reshuffle by letting Max in front of them and getting credit for a lap? I don't remember any cars going ahead of Lewis or the SC at any point.

 

It is not required that they catch up to the pack. I think it's just the preferred situation to have prior to the SC pulling off.

 

Masi didn't release the lapped cars earlier because of the Latifi crash plus the JCB tractor extracting Latifi's car out of the track. It was for safety reasons. Masi wanted all cars behind the safety car while the extraction of Latifi's car was going on.

 

I don’t get it, how does this prove Max intended to brake check Lewis?? It’s a highlight reel of some F1 driving incidents?? You could make the same reel of every driver on the grid. There’s dozens of incidents involving Hamilton, Alonso, Kimi, Vettel, etc. I hope you’re not an attorney! Lol

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/59643988

Formula 1: Where next for sport after Verstappen and Hamilton title drama?
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By Andrew BensonChief F1 writer
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1 hour ago1 hour ago.From the section Formula 1
There needs to be clarity going forward - David Coulthard speaks to BBC Breakfast about F1 season finale
Formula 1's governing body the FIA is under intense scrutiny in the wake of the controversial end to the 2021 world championship in Abu Dhabi on Sunday.

The handling of the sport's rules during the safety-car period that ultimately decided the drivers' title in Max Verstappen's favour has focused a deeper discontent that already lurked beneath the surface of the sport.

F1 teams and drivers were dismayed by the events at the end of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, after a season in which many have complained about the consistency of the FIA's decision making.

Many felt the rules were not followed correctly at Yas Marina, and now a number of F1 insiders believe that changes need to be made at the FIA.

The subject is controversial, so senior figures have not been prepared to speak on the record in the immediate aftermath of the race.

But a number have told BBC Sport that at least half the F1 teams have lost confidence in race director Michael Masi, and that many of the drivers have concerns as well.

 

It states ANY cars not all cars, but you’re correct that it’s over. He tried his best to let the championship end in a racing situation rather than a yellow flag. Hamilton came damn close to retaking the lead and it was a thrilling ending, so I think the spirit of what he was trying to achieve should be measured rather than the result. Hamilton wins, 50% are pisssed off, Max wins 50% are pissed off. His decision was one that favored Motorsport, not a certain competitor. Firing him would be very unfair I think.

 

It appears that the last SC period that didnt involve a Red Flag, but did include lapped cars was Baku 2021. SC came out at the very end of lap 31 (Stroll crashed at pit entry). Pit lane was closed immediately, cars were bunched up and pit was opened at the end of lap 34. Mazepin was allowed to un-lap himself at that time. I can't find info if Stroll's incident was completely cleaned up or not.

I do know Imola 2020, lapped cars drove by at speed with Marshals on track, was crazy dangerous so maybe they changed the procedure.

Abu Dhabi SC came out half way through lap 53, pits were open so no need to wait for that. Lapped cars could have been released on lap 56? Again, this is assuming it is allowed to release while workers on track. I can't see why it needs to be a rule since the entire pack drives through the accident scene multiple times under a controlled speed. Double waved flags and information saying workers on track should be enough to keep lapped cars from racing around that zone.

I dunno, it doesn't seem all that difficult to me, but F1 often lacks common sense.

 

I do believe that rules need clarity. But the reality is that F1 racing and motor racing in general can throw something new at you every day. My point is that it will never be perfect. If you want perfection without a lot complication in a "race" then go Olympic swimming. Even with that there's the drug tests . . . . !

I won't even get into the huge money involved in F1 complicating things beyond the comprehension of the fans.

 

"Anonymous Sources"

Fake controversy - they're litigating it in the media because Masi had full discretion as per the regs, and did the right thing, irrespective of the outcome.

They might leverage "the controversy" to implement wanted changes or pressure Masi, but the WDC is done.

 

Not me, I loved it!

The whole race I was thinking how unlucky Max has been to not be able to wrap up the championship two or three races ago—because of points lost during the year—and that this lucky ***** HAM was going to get his 8th championship.

And then the safety car happened I thought is HAM’s luck about to change? And let’s be clear, what happened yesterday was just a stroke of luck—good for Max and bad for HAM—to cancel the lucky escape HAM had from the gravel at Imola and his teammate wiping out the whole RedBull team at Hungary.

Everything was done to protocol and as luck works have it, Max got to change his tires and there was exactly 1 lap left by the time the slow-*** marshals finally cleared the track.

 

Well…
According to fans of both sides he underperformed:
-Imola
-Silverstone
-Saudi Arabia
-brazil
-Abu dhabi

Aside Steve Harvey who kept his job for one gross mistake; don’t know how he stays in place as is with 5 at least…

But it’s done, Hamilton, if he is a champion got regroup and if his car permits, win next year. This World Cup final
Won’t be replayed not results changed.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Messy saying 'no overtaking of the safety car' then reversing the decision and allowing some cars to overtake and then immediately bringing the SC in and starting the race...just making it up as he goes along. The more I read up on this stuff, the more wrong he is. I don't want to see Max lose his title...that would be brutal. I do think this guy should be held accountable for hacking up the entire season. And, to emphasize again, yesterday was the culmination of his incompetence. He's been terrible for a while.

 

Am I the only one that heard masi is getting a promotion?

 

Well said, I didn't know the initial circumstances - the more I read, the more I see this is a violation of the rules.

 

Max Verstappen 2021 Champion*