The Saudi Arabian GP was an intense battle between Lewis Hamilton, who won the event, and Max Verstappen, who finished second, with a result that sees the two come tied in points to the final of the championship. Formula 1, in Abu Dhabi, this weekend (with Verstappen ahead for having more victories). But one character who stole the show last Sunday was race director Michael Masi.
First, he decided to give a red flag after a Safety Car spell following Mick Schumacher’s crash early in the race. The two Mercedes had stopped in the pits taking advantage of the SC but, with the permanent interruption, the situation changed, as Verstappen, who had been raised to the lead, effectively won a tire change without wasting time with it (since drivers can change tire during the red flag). Mercedes boss Toto Wolff said “it’s a matter of judgment to stop a race because the sponsorship plate is torn, but it happens.” Masi didn’t confirm that this really was the reason for the red flag.
But it was in the restart after this moment that the most controversial move happened from the point of view of the race director: defending himself from Hamilton’s attack, Verstappen cut the chicane, in what was understood as taking an advantage when leaving the track. The Mercedes driver braked to avoid contact and was passed by Esteban Ocon.
Masi’s immediate reaction was to understand that Verstappen had to return the position to Hamilton, which meant that he would also have to let Ocon pass. However, after an accident in the middle of the pack, Masi gave another red flag, and had to reorganize the grid during this period. “When I saw what happened at turn 2, I immediately suggested to the stewards that I would give the team a chance to return the position. But the red flag came right away.”
What followed was a negotiation with Red Bull that had never been broadcast on TV – remembering that the race director’s messages began to be shown this year. Masi told the Verstappen team that he was offering him to start third, or he would take the case to the F1 stewards. They are the ones who judge whether or not a driver deserves punishment, not Masi. The match director only identifies a possible infraction and asks that the investigation be started.
“I wouldn’t say it was a negotiation because, as race director, I don’t have the authority to instruct the team to do anything in that situation. I can make an offer, but they’re the ones who have to choose. punishments, but I can give them my perspective. That’s why I offered the possibility to give the position back.
Red Bull boss Christian Horner, however, said he had never been through a similar situation. “It was like being in the market, an unusual situation. We decided that if the case went to the stewards, we would be punished. to regain positions, which he did.”
In fact, in the second restart, Verstappen took the lead, but his tires, less durable, ended up in the final part of the race, which was also full of controversy. When the Dutchman defended Hamilton’s attack on lap 37, he cut the chicane again, and once again, Masi instructed the team to give up the position. The message got to the pilot at turn 22 and he tried to do it at the end of turn 26, which is a mobile rear wing detection point. His attempt was to get Hamilton to pass, and then attack with the DRS open.
Hamilton realized that Verstappen wanted to take the DRS, but did not know that he was slowing down, too, to give up the position, as he had not yet been advised of this by Mercedes. The Dutchman then braked and the Englishman hit him on the rear. For not being able to return the position, Verstappen took 5s of punishment during the race and, after the flag, another 10s precisely for having braked in a stretch of full throttle, which was considered an “erratic behavior” by the stewards.
Masi’s role in this episode was to ask for the inversion and, after the crash, to ask the commissioners for judgment. He does not engage in the penalties given.
Despite the two punishments, Verstappen, already with very worn tires, was passed by Hamilton on the track
“F1 missed Charlie”
Horner was clear about his frustration with the way the race was handled by Masi. “I think the sport missed Charlie Whiting today. I’m sorry to say that, but his experience was missed,” said the Briton, referring to the former F1 race director who died suddenly on the eve of the opening of the season 2019. Masi was being coached by Charlie as one of his potential replacements, and took over.
Formula 1 racing director Charlie Whiting holds press conference ahead of 2017 Mexico GP
Imagem: Mark Thompson/Getty Images
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“It’s frustrating, but it’s difficult for Michael and the stewards, particularly on this type of track, with so much debris and this kind of corner.”
Toto Wolff agreed that “there was a lot of confusion” but declined to compare Masi with Whiting. “There were too many things to judge. I didn’t want to be in Michael’s shoes or the commissioners because there were 100 decisions to be made and some could be wrong or controversial.
About the track, which was ready on the eve of the race and was considered dangerous by some drivers, Masi said that there will be some details to be resolved for the next race, which will be at the beginning of next season, “but nothing big”. Along with Abu Dhabi, Russia and Azerbaijan, Saudi Arabia is estimated to be one of the most profitable stages of the F1 calendar.
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