Mohammed Ben Sulayem opens the door for Michael Masi to return as race director

Michael Masi was the F1 race director from 2019 to 2021. The Australian was appointed by the FIA following the death of Charlie Whiting, former race director since 1997, on March 14, 2019, the eve of the Australian Grand Prix.

The 2021 season was the last for Michaël Masi. This year, the championship battle between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen was of great intensity. The British driver wanted to secure his eighth world championship title, surpassing Michaël Schumacher’s record of seven, while the Dutch driver aimed to win his first title.

The two drivers collided on the track several times, like during the British Grand Prix where Lewis Hamilton made contact with Verstappen at Cops corner on the first lap, forcing the Dutchman to retire. Or during the Italian Grand Prix, where the two cars were literally on top of each other, with the Red Bull on top of the Mercedes, both championship leaders had to retire.

During the last Grand Prix of the 2021 season in Abu Dhabi, the British and the Dutch drivers had the same number of points. However, after a highly controversial ending to the race, Max Verstappen won the Grand Prix and the championship title, leaving Lewis Hamilton devastated. He was seen in tears in his father’s arms after the race. Race director Michael Masi was blamed for being responsible for Hamilton’s loss of an eighth world championship title.

Michaël Masi could come back to F1 if he is the right person for the job.

Following these numerous criticisms, Masi decided to step down from his position as race director. Rumors mentioned political pressure from Mercedes, suggesting that Lewis Hamilton could retire if the Australian remained in his post. However, these rumors were never confirmed.

Mohammed Ben Sulayem, current president of the FIA, stated to the Press Association agency that Michaël Masi could return to F1 if the Australian is « the right person for the job ».

“I always apologize, but I cannot apologize for something that was done before me,” said Mohammed Ben Sulayem. In 2021, Jean Todt was the president of the FIA, and the Emirati only replaced the Frenchman starting from the 2022 season.

« The poor man is someone who has been attacked and mistreated. Michaël Masi has lived through hell. And if I see that there is an opportunity that the FIA needs, and that Michaël Masi is the right person, I will bring him in,” continued the president of the FIA.

(I) “I even had people who threatened to kill me because I had the power to change (the outcome of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2021, editor’s note). But I told them: ‘Sorry, the 1966 World Cup, England versus Germany, it was like that, right? Did they change it? No. Did they give it to Germany? No,’ ” concluded Mohammed Ben Sulayem.