Senior F1 figures claim they don't see Michael Masi retaining his job

Several senior F1 figures have reportedly told BBC Sport they don't see Michael Masi retaining his job as the FIA race director. His mismanagement of the 2021 F1 finale in Abu Dhabi has drawn criticism from various quarters.

As per BBC Sport, several seniors in F1 are unsure of Masi's future in the sport due to a string of poor choices made throughout the season. They, however, also claim that there is no obvious choice for the Australian's replacement.

Michael Masi has gained a bad reputation in the world of the sport for his botched safety car restart. His actions essentially gifted Max Verstappen his maiden world championship title on the final lap of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in December. With #MasiOut consistently trending on Twitter since the incident, many have speculated about the motorsport official resigning from the post.

The FIA has admitted that the fiasco at Yas Marina severely damaged the image of the sport in the eyes of many, and has launched an inquiry into the events that occurred that night. It also claims to be aware of Lewis Hamilton's unhappiness, with team principal Toto Wolff claiming the Briton has been disillusioned by certain events. However, it is still unclear as to what exactly this investigation entails.

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Helmut Marko praises F1 race director amidst harsh criticism

It hasn't all been bad for Michael Masi, however, with Red Bull advisor and talent scout Helmut Marko praising the Australian for handling the difficult safety car restart fittingly. He feels as though the race director upheld the spirit of racing by finishing the event under racing conditions. Marko told Sport und Talk:

“One must also credit Michael Masi, who wanted to finish the race under racing conditions.”

The Austrian used NASCAR and IndyCar as examples to explain why the decision to finish the race under racing conditions was the right choice. Marko argued that the two American motorsports often add an extra lap of racing at the end of the event just to ensure fairness between all parties. He said in the same interview:

“With IndyCar or NASCAR, for example, there is a rule that they even add a lap so that the race can be finished under racing conditions. There were five cars in between and he just sent them away, so that you could drive this last lap. It’s like the referee, he has the right and if he decides like that, then that’s valid.”

Regardless of Marko's opinion, it is certain that the race director made some less-than-ideal decisions towards the end of the race. Only time will tell if Masi resigns from his post as calls for the same grow louder. As it stands, Max Verstappen is the F1 drivers' champion of 2021 while Mercedes sit happily with their constructors' trophy.