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Sebastian Vettel believes F1 lacks the experience of former race director Michael Masi when it comes to race control. The German hopes the FIA and drivers will be able to work together to improve the management of the races and gain clarity on the rules.
The four-time world champion pointed out the missing element in the F1 race control room when he spoke to the Press Association. He said:
“What we are missing now is the experience that Michael [Masi] had and brought to the job because he did it for so long and grew up with it. It is not an easy position now because there is more focus and more spotlight on what is happening at Race Control. But I hope things calm down and we find a way to work together, as in the drivers and the FIA. You cannot make everybody happy, but we need to try and make both sides more happy.”
Sebastian Vettel was one of the few to defend Masi after receiving flak for his decisions at the 2021 Abu Dhabi GP. As head of the Grand Prix Drivers' Association, Vettel hopes the drivers and the regulatory body of the sport can work together to gain clarity about the rules and improvise the management of the races.
With the new race direction under Neils Wittich and Eduardo Freitas as rotating race directors, race control has become the focus. However, according to the Aston Martin driver, the sport is suffering after firing the former race director, who has a lot of experience.
Sebastian Vettel fears retiring from F1 and will be deciding his future over the summer break
The Aston Martin driver’s contract, which will end at the end of the current season, has sparked speculation of a potential retirement. However, Sebastian Vettel claimed that he would think about his future over the summer break and that he had not decided anything yet. He revealed that he fears retiring as he can't fathom a life without motor racing, which has been an integral part of his life.
Upon being asked by the Press Association if he feared retiring from the sport, the Aston Martin driver responded by saying:
“Yes. I have done motor racing for my whole life and it gives you security, in terms of the schedule being made by other people. I don’t know what life after Formula One looks like and I don’t think any sportsperson knows what the next life looks like. You can have certain things lined up but you don’t know and that is the truth.”
Vettel said the following about his future in the sport:
“The future depends on this year and the races that I have coming up. I have not decided yet. The summer is the usual time when you start to talk so we will see.”
Despite fellow German driver Ralf Schumacher tipping off the four-time world champion to retire, there is speculation in the F1 paddock that he might continue in the sport. While Sebastian Vettel might perhaps not be in his prime as a driver, a retirement would be an early move at this stage in his career with his senior counterparts Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton still competing at their peak in the sport.
